Britain’s Chantelle Cameron has vacated her WBC light-welterweight world title in protest at not being able to compete under the same rules as male fighters.
In women’s professional boxing title fights are usually over 10 rounds, each of two minutes, while men’s title bouts are 12 rounds of three minutes.
“Women’s boxing has come a long way, but there’s still progress to be made,” said 34-year-old Cameron.
“I’ve always believed in equality, and that includes the choice to fight equal rounds, equal opportunities, and equal respect.
“I’m proud of my accomplishment in becoming a WBC champion, but it’s time to take a stand for what’s right and for the future of the sport.”
Cameron was elevated from ‘interim’ champion to full WBC light-welterweight world champion last month after Ireland’s Katie Taylor informed the sanctioning body she planned to take time away from boxing.
Since turning professional in 2017, Cameron has won 21 of 22 fights, is a former undisputed light-welterweight world champion and has also held a world title at lightweight.
She handed Taylor her first career defeat in May 2023 to become undisputed champion, before losing the rematch six months later.
A trilogy bout had been mandated, but Taylor chose not to pursue it as she takes a break from the sport.
With the second bye behind them and USC’s season at a crossroads, Lincoln Riley has spent the better part of two weeks focusing his team on what’s in front of them — a stretch of three winnable games — and not behind them — a demoralizing defeat at Notre Dame.
In doing so, the Trojans coach borrowed a well-worn rallying cry, one that traces back 2,000 years. Riley told his team, they had to “burn the boats.”
“We’ve put ourselves in great position, and we’ve got to be a really forward-focused team right now,” Riley said. “Things can get pretty fun from here if you really get on a run. This team is capable of that. They know it. We know it.”
Considering the stakes, it’s an apt enough metaphor. Any hope of USC staying alive in the College Football Playoff conversation hinges on leaving Lincoln, Neb., with a win. And that will, at the very least, require presenting a much better product than before the bye, when USC’s defense gave up over 300 yards on the ground to Notre Dame.
That loss has left a notably bitter taste with the Trojans — especially on defense. This week, sophomore linebacker Jadyn Walker said he felt the group “didn’t come out ready to play” and wasn’t “hungry” enough against Notre Dame. Defensive tackle Jide Abasiri said fixing USC’s issues on defense meant “having our minds right.” For the second time in three weeks, USC returned to the basics on defense during the bye in an effort to iron out those issues.
“You study for a test, you’re not gonna be nervous,” Abasiri said. “Just keep studying, I guess.”
The time for studying is over. The final exam for USC and its defense is a five-game gauntlet, starting on the road in one of the Big Ten’s more hostile environments. It’s just as much a critical test for the team as its coach, who has won just two true road games — at Purdue and at UCLA — during the last two calendar years.
“We continue to put ourselves in position to win these, and I feel like we’re doing the things on a daily basis that ultimately lead to winning,” Riley said. “We’re here and we’re pushing that notion, and I just see us getting closer and closer to that as we go on. That’s where my confidence is.”
Here’s what you should watch for when No. 23 USC (5-2 overall, 3-1 Big Ten) faces Nebraska (6-2, 3-2) on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. PDT (NBC, Peacock).
A heavy dose of Emmett Johnson
Nebraska running back Emmett Johnson carries the ball against Northwestern on Oct. 25.
(Bonnie Ryan / Associated Press)
After watching Notre Dame’s duo of Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price steamroll USC’s defensive front, Nebraska offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen surely smells blood in the water. In Emmett Johnson, he has one of the Big Ten’s best backs, a bruising tackle-breaker who has become a bigger part of the Husker offense as the season has worn on.
He’ll no doubt be a huge part of the plans for Holgorsen, who knows Riley better than most any other coach in college football, save maybe his brother, Garrett, at Clemson. Presumably, Holgorsen will hope to keep the ball out of USC’s hands, grinding out long drives with Johnson.
“We set ourselves up the rest of the season to see a lot of run game,” safety Bishop Fitzgerald said. “This week, making sure we can stop that will be huge for us.”
Johnson isn’t easy to bring down. His 44 missed tackles forced, per PFF, ranks third in the Power Four among running backs.
“He runs really hard,” Fitzgerald said. “He’s usually always going to break the first tackle. He just plays with an edge. He’s not necessarily a blazer, but once he hits that edge, he can make a guy miss and he can get a lot of yards. So I think it’s about stopping him and surrounding the ball.”
It’s just that easy. Or maybe not.
Pick up the pressure
USC defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn stands on the sideline during the third quarter of a win over Michigan State on Sept. 20.
(Luke Hales / Getty Images)
USC led the nation in sacks through the first month of the season. But in both of the Trojans’ losses, the pass rush — or lack thereof — was part of the problem. After producing 24 pressures in a win over Michigan State, USC tallied just 25 in its next three games combined.
Nebraska offers a golden opportunity to get that right. The Huskers have allowed 26 sacks, second-most in the Big Ten.
“I do think we’ve shown growth and we’ve gotten better,” defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn said of the pass rush. “But we’re not satisfied.”
Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola has been sharper this season than when he came to the Coliseum in 2024. His completion rate is up almost 6%, and he already has 17 passing touchdowns, compared to just 13 last season.
But Raiola has a tendency to hold the ball too long. At times, that has paid off with big plays. Other times, it has derailed drives.
“It puts a lot of pressure on us,” Lynn said. “When he’s holding onto the ball, he’s not looking to scramble. He’s keeping his eyes downfield.”
The key to counteracting that for USC? Putting as much pressure on him as possible.
Something has gotta give
USC has the top passing offense in the nation, averaging 10 yards per attempt and 326 yards per game. Nebraska boasts one of the nation’s best pass defenses, with just one opposing quarterback even reaching the 160-yard mark against them.
The Huskers have yet to face a quarterback quite like Jayden Maiava. Maiava’s first start at USC came last season against Nebraska, and he has improved leaps and bounds since — notably in his ability to avoid crippling mistakes.
That’ll be at a premium against a Nebraska defense that has swallowed up quarterbacks this season.
“He’s making a lot of right decisions right now,” Riley said this week of Maiava. “If he keeps doing that, we’re going to have a chance to win every game.”
Duhan van der Merwe, for one, wants “to leave a legacy” as he prepares to earn his 50th cap versus the USA at Murrayfield on Saturday.
“There’s still a lot more to give. I wouldn’t say there’s something I want to achieve as an individual, but as a team, I probably want to look forward to this autumn nations and go and win all four games,” the Edinburgh wing said.
“Looking at the Six Nations, have a real go at that. We’ve been talking about that over the last couple of years. Hopefully, the day I retire, I’ll be able to say I’ve won a Six Nations.”
Things are looking brighter for Scotland heading into this campaign than they were for this year’s Six Nations, when a crippling injury list grew to such horrendous proportions that any chance of a title challenge was mortally wounded before the action even kicked off.
Sione Tuipulotu, Scott Cummings, Kyle Steyn and all the others have returned, with Huw Jones the only notable absentee for this autumn series.
The healthy Scottish representation on the summer British and Irish Lions tour – 12 Scots tasted action in Australia – should also inject some fresh confidence into the group.
For Van der Merwe, however, it was a mixed experience. Having played all three matches in the Test series in South Africa in 2021, he failed to break into Andy Farrell’s matchday squad for any of the three Tests against the Wallabies.
“It was obviously bittersweet,” the 30-year-old said.
“It was a really special tour to be involved in that. Unfortunately, I wasn’t selected in one of the Tests, but I’ll be taking it game by game just to try and be at my best for Scotland.
“I’m not going to particularly look at a single game and say, ‘you guys didn’t select me’ and I’m going to try and have my best game’. I’m just going to take it game by game to show what I can do as a player.”
Van der Merwe has shown exactly what he can do in a Scotland jersey since his Test debut against Georgia in 2020.
He delivered a taste of what was to come in his first Scotland outing with a try – and he has gone on to amass 32 of them in 49 caps to become the country’s record try-scorer.
Starting against the USA will give him a chance to extend that record – and an opportunity to enjoy a personal milestone that seemed unlikely when he started his rugby journey in Scotland five years ago.
“It’s an unbelievable feeling,” he said. “When I made my debut back five years ago, I never thought I’d be sitting here making my 50th. It’s just a very special moment for myself and my family.
“I came over as a pretty raw player back in 2017 to Edinburgh. So to be on the receiving side of a couple of walk-ins and a couple of lucky tries against England kind of just shows the hard work that I’ve put in over the last couple of years.
“There’s been a lot of special memories over the last five years. I’m not getting any younger, am I? I kind of have to make the most out of what I think I’ve got left. I’ve got so much more to give over the next couple of years.”
It’s the third season of girls’ flag football in California, with athletes and teams getting better and better, which raises expectations for the Southern Section Division 1 semifinals on Saturday. Unbeaten JSerra plays at Dos Pueblos and defending champion Orange Lutheran hosts Huntington Beach.
Dos Pueblos (24-2) faces the most difficult task, trying to defeat a 26-0 JSerra team that owns two wins over No. 2-seeded Orange Lutheran. The good news for Dos Pueblos is that it has already proven it can compete against the best, having taken Orange Lutheran to overtime early in the season before losing.
“We definitely get to say we’ve faced the top,” Dos Pueblos coach Doug Caines said. “They have some crazy athletic girls.”
Dos Pueblos will have to avoid turnovers, relying on quarterback Kacey Hurley to stay away from interceptions. She has 4,603 yards passing and 84 touchdowns. Brooklyn Hendricks is the team’s standout receiver.
The other semifinal matchup involving Orange County teams will determine if Orange Lutheran can repeat as champion behind quarterback Makena Cook. Huntington Beach is 25-1. The Oilers’ only loss was to Newport Harbor. Roxie Shaia has made an impact at quarterback and on defense.
The winners advance to next weekend’s final at Fred Kelly Stadium next to El Modena High.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email [email protected].
Since the club entered administration, fans have ended a boycott of the club, which had seen many supporters not attend Carabao Cup ties against Leeds United and Grimsby Town at Hillsborough, and this month’s home league game with Middlesbrough.
Administrator Kris Wigfield, who is leading the search for new ownership, said on Monday that supporters had already spent more than £500,000 on tickets and in the club shop.
He said there were already “four or five interested parties that look like the real deal” but that because of EFL rules, the club would need to be on the market for 28 days before they could move towards preferred-bidder status.
“I’m hopeful that by the end of November, if things go well, we might know who’s going to buy the football club,” he told BBC 5 Live’s Wake Up To Money programme.
“Then hopefully a deal can be concluded this calendar year, so that the new owner is in for the January transfer window, if the EFL allows the new owner to buy players.”
Sheffield Wednesday said the event was “a gesture from the first-team squad and staff” to thank supporters for their “unprecedented” response to the club going into administration.
From Jack Harris: It was a miserably cold, rainy and gray afternoon outside Rogers Centre on Thursday.
Inside the stadium, however, the Dodgers found some rays of emotional sunshine.
No, this is not where the team wanted to be, facing a 3-2 deficit in the World Series entering Game 6 on Friday night against the Toronto Blue Jays.
And no, there was not much to feel good about after a disastrous 48 hours in Games 4 and 5 of this Fall Classic, in which the Dodgers relinquished control of the series and allowed their title-defense campaign to be put on life support.
But during an off-day workout, the club tried to rebound from that disappointment and reframe the downtrodden mindset that permeated the clubhouse after Game 5.
Every player showed up to the ballpark, even though attendance was optional after a long night of travel. “That was pretty exciting for me, and just speaks to where these guys are at,” manager Dave Roberts said. “They realize that the job’s not done.”
I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about this … and I could dive into my thoughts,” Roberts said of the team’s offensive struggles, which he noted could include another lineup alteration for Game 6.
“But I think at the end of the day,” Roberts continued, “they just have to compete and fight in the batter’s box. It’s one-on-one, the hitter versus the pitcher, and that’s it. Really. I mean, I think that that sort of mindset is all I’ll be looking for. And I expect good things to happen from that.”
Dodgers vs. Toronto at Toronto 11, Dodgers 4 (box score) Dodgers 5, at Toronto 1 (box score) at Dodgers 6, Toronto 5 (18) (box score) Toronto 6, at Dodgers 2 (box score) Toronto 6, at Dodgers 1 (box score)
Friday at Toronto, 5 p.m., Fox, AM 570, KTNQ 1020, ESPN Radio
*Saturday at Toronto, 5 p.m., Fox, AM 570, KTNQ 1020, ESPN Radio
The Rams’ star receiver, who sat out the last game because of an ankle injury, said Thursday that he was “feeling great” and planned to play on Sunday against the New Orleans Saints at SoFi Stadium.
“That’s the plan,” he said after practice. “I’m feeling fantastic. Feel ready to go.”
From Thuc Nhi Nguyen: The NBA board of governors unanimously approved Mark Walter’s bid to buy a majority stake in the Lakers on Thursday, the league announced, marking a major shift for one of L.A.’s most significant sports teams.
The Lakers had been a family-run team since Dr. Jerry Buss bought the franchise in 1979. When he died in 2013, control went into a family trust with daughter Jeanie Buss acting as the team’s governor. The Buss family built the team into one of the most recognizable brands in sports, eventually attracting a record-breaking $10-billion valuation. While the sale was finalized, Jeanie Buss will be the team’s governor for at least five years after the transaction officially closes, the league announcement stated.
“The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the most iconic franchises in all of sports, defined by a history of excellence and the relentless pursuit of greatness,” Walter said in a statement released by the team. “Few teams carry the legacy and global influence of the Lakers, and it’s a privilege to work alongside Jeanie Buss as we maintain that excellence and set the standard for success in this new era, both on and off the court.”
Lucas Raymond scored in the shootout and the Detroit Red Wings beat the Kings 4-3 on Thursday night.
Marco Kasper scored two goals, and Alex DeBrincat had a goal and an assist for Detroit. Cam Talbot stopped 35 shots through overtime and denied all three attempts in the tiebreaker as the Red Wings got their third straight win and eighth in the last 10 games.
Quinton Byfield had a goal and an assist, and Alex Laferriere and Corey Perry also scored for the Kings, who had a modest two-game win streak and a six-game point streak (4-0-2). Darcy Kuemper had 24 saves.
1948 — Sammy Baugh of Washington passes for 446 yards and four touchdowns and Dan Sandifer has four interceptions including two for touchdowns as the Redskins beat the Boston Yanks 56-21.
1950 — Earl Lloyd of the Washington Capitols becomes the first Black man to play in an NBA game. Washington loses 78-70 on the road to the Rochester Royals.
1964 — Kelso, running in what is billed as his final race in New York, wins his fifth consecutive Jockey Club Gold Cup, surpassing Round Table as the all-time money-winning thoroughbred. Kelso runs the 2-mile distance in 3:19 1/5, breaking the world record he set as a 3-year-old, four years earlier, by 1/5 of a second.
1969 — Lenny Wilkens, the NBA’s all-time winningest coach, gets his first coaching victory as the Seattle SuperSonics beats Cincinnati Royals 129-121.
1981 — Florida State freshman Greg Allen rushes for 322 yards in a 56-31 victory over Western Carolina.
1987 — Eric Dickerson, the NFL’s single-season rushing champion, signs a three-year contract with the Indianapolis Colts to complete a three-way trade that nets the Rams two running backs and six top draft choices over the next two years. The third part of the deal sends linebacker Cornelius Bennett to the Buffalo Bills in exchange for three of the draft picks that went to the Rams.
1987 — Jockey Chris Antley becomes the first rider to win nine races in a single day. He has four winners in six mounts at Aqueduct and five winners from eight tries during The Meadowlands’ evening program.
1988 — The first Monday Night NFL game was played in Indianapolis; Colts beat the Broncos 55-23.
1998 — Tee Martin of Tennessee, sets NCAA records with 23 straight completions and 24 over two games in the No. 3 Volunteers’ 49-14 victory over South Carolina. Martin is 23-for-24, with a record completion percentage of 95.8, for 315 yards and four touchdowns.
1999 — Tim Couch completes a desperation 56-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Johnson with no time on the clock to give the expansion Cleveland Browns their first victory, a 21-16 win over New Orleans.
2004 — The New England Patriots lose for the first time in more than a year, falling to the Pittsburgh Steelers 34-20. The Patriots had won 21 straight games, including the playoffs, and a league-record 18 in a row in the regular season.
2006 — Miami’s season-opening 108-66 loss to Chicago is the worst loss in NBA history for a defending champion on opening night.
2008 — The North Carolina Tar Heels are No. 1 in The Associated Press’ preseason Top 25, the first unanimous No. 1 since the preseason poll began in 1981-82.
2012 — Jamal Crawford scores 29 points in 30 minutes in his first official game with his new team, and the Clippers convert 21 turnovers into 29 points in a 101-92 victory that extends the Memphis Grizzlies’ NBA-record streak of opening-night losses to 12. The Grizzlies are 0-12 on opening night since the franchise shifted from Vancouver to Memphis in 2001.
2015 — Triple Crown champion American Pharoah wins the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic by 6 1/2 lengths in his final race before retirement.
2020 — Endland beats Italy 34-5 in Rome to win the 29th Six-Nations Rugby Championship.
Compiled by the Associated Press
THIS DAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY
1972 — Gaylord Perry wins the AL Cy Young Award.
Compiled by the Associated Press
Until next time…
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The only contest between these sides this season ended goalless in August.
Motherwell had 66% possession that day but lacked a cutting edge, injury issues meaning they played without a centre-forward.
St Mirren had the better of the chances, but the stalemate means they have won only two of their past 16 league meetings with the Lanarkshire club and are winless in six.
Motherwell may be four points better off in the Premiership and in better form but this feels like a 50-50 affair.
The Fir Park club have won four of their past six matches, including their quarter-final success at Aberdeen.
Across 10 league games, they have scored double the goals of St Mirren (16 to eight) but conceded one more than the Paisley side (13 to 12).
In left-back Emmanuel Longelo and midfielder Elliot Watt, both signed in the summer, Motherwell boast two players who are among the standouts in the Premiership so far this term.
St Mirren, meanwhile, have won once in five matches since dumping out Kilmarnock on penalties in the last eight.
But an impressive showing against league leaders Hearts in midweek showcased all the redeeming features in Robinson’s side, who posed a serious threat from set-plays.
“Really contrasting styles between both sides,” BBC Scotland pundit Neil McCann said on Sportscene.
“If Motherwell get a grip of the game, it’ll be difficult for St Mirren. You could see St Mirren going old school and making Motherwell defend direct balls like they did against Hearts.
“I lean towards Motherwell because of the big pitch at Hampden. I make them favourites. But the way Robinson gets his teams to play, he will come up with a game plan to nullify space.”
DIVISION 2 Chino Hills 8, Redlands East Valley 7 Etiwanda 11, Santa Monica 10 La Habra 13, Alta Loma 10 Los Alamitos 22, Walnut 13 Orange Lutheran 11, San Marino 10 El Segundo 17, Edison 16 Damien 14, Crescenta Valley 11 Crean Lutheran 21, Carpinteria 13 Redondo Union 12, La Serna 8 Royal 11, Riverside King 10 Ventura 11, Corona Santiago 6 Aliso Niguel 16, Dana Hills 13 Capistrano Valley 17, Woodbridge 6 Anaheim Canyon 6, Murrieta Valley 5 St. John Bosco 11, Portola 9 Riverside Poly 14, Cate 9
DIVISION 3 Camarillo 11, Flintridge Prep 5 Burbank 13, Agoura 9 Trabuco Hills 21, Eastvale Roosevelt 13 Bonita 17, Brentwood 3 Temple City 19, Redlands 13 Arcadia 8, Yorba Linda 7 Glendora 15, Troy 10 Malibu 14, Millikan 8 Santa Barbara 11, Valley View 9 Hoover 9, Elsinore 8 Pasadena Poly 9, Schurr 7 Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 18, Villa Park 8 Irvine University 11, Fullerton 9 Great Oak 14, Long Beach Poly 10 Brea Olinda 11, Rancho Cucamonga 9 Cathedral at Temecula Valley
DIVISION 4 Charter Oak 18, Webb 8 Santa Ana 11, Tustin 9 Garden Grove Pacifica at La Canada Placentia Valencia 15, Temescal Canyon 8 Aquinas at Buena Park Anaheim 15, La Quinta 8 Palm Desert 13, Los Altos 11 Hemet 21, Paloma Valley 9 Glendale 22, La Salle 15 Western 16, Estancia 15 Mission Viejo 10, Sunny Hills 6 Culver City 21, West Covina 12 Liberty 15, West Torrance 3 Sonora 14, Don Lugo 10 South Torrance at Xavier Prep Garden Grove at Corona
DIVISION 5 Fontana 21, Bolsa Grande 7 Edgewood 13, Lakeside 9 Ramona 17, Heritage 7 Chino 6, Los Amigos 5 Warren 19, Cerritos 4 Westminster 16, Summit 10 Rowland 14, Pioneer 13 Norte Vista 21, Artesia 9 Montebello 16, Nogales 3 La Mirada 5, Chaffey 4 San Bernardino 21, Westminster La Quinta 11 Hillcrest 21, Indio 10 La Palma Kennedy 22, Riverside Notre Dame 6 Nordhoff 16, Savanna 12 Santa Fe 9, California 8 Baldwin Park 21, West Valley 7
FRIDAY’S SCHEDULE
(Games at 5 p.m. unless noted)
First Round
DIVISION 1 Servite at Loyola San Marcos at San Juan Hills Huntington Beach at Buena San Clemente at Dos Pueblos Downey at Mater Dei Sage Hill at Yucaipa Westlake at Beckman Foothill at Harvard-Westlake
Note:Open Division Pool Play second round Nov. 1 at higher seeds; Divisions 2-5 second round Nov. 4; Open Division Pool Play third round Nov. 5 at higher seeds; Division 1 quarterfinals Nov. 6; Divisions 2-5 quarterfinals Nov. 7; Open Division crossover round Nov. 8 at higher seed; Divisions 2-5 semifinals Nov. 11; Open Division semifinals Nov. 12 at Woollett Aquatics Center; Division 1 semifinals Nov. 12; Finals (all divisions) Nov. 15 at Mt. San Antonio College.
Chris Wood, Dilane Bakwa, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Ola Aina remain unavailable for Nottingham Forest.
Wood could return from a knee injury in time to face Leeds United next weekend.
Back-up goalkeeper Angus Gunn has also been after damaging knee ligaments during training.
Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez has returned to full training following nine months out with a knee injury although he is not in contention to travel to the City Ground.
“He [Martinez] wants to go to this one, he is not going to this one, he is going to take time,” said United boss Ruben Amorim.
“He is really good, he is really good, and he gives us that edge in every training session and that is also really good for us.
Harry Maguire is a doubt after missing the 4-2 win against Brighton last weekend due to a knock and Leny Yoro could once again deputise.
Players out: Nottingham Forest – Gunn, Wood, Bakwa, Zinchenko, Aina Manchester United – Martinez
Doubts: Nottingham Forest – none Manchester United – Maguire
Key FPL notes:
Morgan Gibbs-White’s (£7.3m) 20 shots and 30 penalty box touches both rank top across Nottingham Forest’s first nine matches.
No player has created more chances than Bruno Fernandes (£8.9m) this season, with 24.
Bryan Mbeumo (£8.2m) is the most-bought midfielder in the Gameweek, earning over 846,000 new owners. The Cameroon international is averaging 10.0 points per start since the start of October.
World number one Luke Humphries scraped into November’s Players Championship Finals as reigning world champion Luke Littler criticised tournament officials.
Humphries, 30, began the day 58th in the competition’s rankings and could have missed the finals if he had lost in the opening round of the Players Championship 34 event.
However, he gained a 6-2 victory over Dutchman Martijn Dragt in round one to qualify before losing 6-4 to Rob Owen in the second round at Robin Park Leisure Centre in Wigan.
This was the last of 34 Players Championship events held across the year. The 64 best-performing players will now advance to the finals in Minehead, Somerset from 21-23 November.
It later emerged someone had died in an incident on the M6.
Afterwards, Littler posted on Instagram: “Missed registration today for the pro tour, but someone sadly lost their life. Thinking of everyone.”
He reached the last 32 on Thursday before losing 6-5 in a deciding leg against Canada’s Matt Campbell – and then criticised officials in a post on social media, claiming other players had been allowed to play when arriving late for events.
In an Instagram post, which was later deleted, Littler wrote: “Not the best day today but played some decent stuff.
“But really glad to hear from a few of the other players that people have been let in almost half an hour late for a pro tour but I can’t be two minutes late.
“Says a lot, one rule for one and one for another.”
Dutchman Wessel Nijman beat England’s Luke Woodhouse 8-5 to win the Players Championship 34 title.
Three-time world champion and current world number three Michael van Gerwen will not feature at the finals as he was outside the top 64 in the rankings and did not play the last two events.
TORONTO — It was a miserably cold, rainy and gray afternoon outside Rogers Centre on Thursday.
Inside the stadium, however, the Dodgers found some rays of emotional sunshine.
No, this is not where the team wanted to be, facing a 3-2 deficit in the World Series entering Game 6 on Friday night against the Toronto Blue Jays.
And no, there was not much to feel good about after a disastrous 48 hours in Games 4 and 5 of this Fall Classic, in which the Dodgers relinquished control of the series and allowed their title-defense campaign to be put on life support.
But during an off-day workout, the club tried to rebound from that disappointment and reframe the downtrodden mindset that permeated the clubhouse after Game 5.
Every player showed up to the ballpark, even though attendance was optional after a long night of travel.
“That was pretty exciting for me, and just speaks to where these guys are at,” manager Dave Roberts said. “They realize that the job’s not done.”
Roberts brought some levity to the start of the workout, too, challenging speedster Hyeseong Kim to a race around the bases — only to stumble face-first on the turn around second while trying to preserve his comically large head start.
“Cut the cameras,” Roberts yelled to media members, as he playfully grabbed at his hamstring and wiped dirt off his sweatshirt.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts reacts after falling while challenging Hyeseong Kim to a race on the basepaths during a team workout at Rogers Centre on Thursday.
(Vaughn Ridley / Getty Images)
Then, the Dodgers got to work on their primary task: Trying to sync up an offense that had looked lost the last two games, and has scuffled through much of October.
“I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about this … and I could dive into my thoughts,” Roberts said of the team’s offensive struggles, which he noted could include another lineup alteration for Game 6.
“But I think at the end of the day,” Roberts continued, “they just have to compete and fight in the batter’s box. It’s one-on-one, the hitter versus the pitcher, and that’s it. Really. I mean, I think that that sort of mindset is all I’ll be looking for. And I expect good things to happen from that.”
In the losses at Chavez Ravine, the majors’ second-highest scoring offense struggled to hone that ethos. The Dodgers scored only three runs, racked up a woeful 10 hits and looked more like the version of themselves that stumbled through much of the second half of the season before entering the playoffs on a late-season surge.
Their biggest stars stopped hitting. Their teamwide approach went by the wayside. And in the aftermath of Game 5, they almost seemed to be searching for their identity as a team at the plate — trying to couple their naturally gifted slugging ability, with the need to work more competitive at-bats and earn hittable pitches first.
“We’re just not having good at-bats,” third baseman Max Muncy said.
“We’ve got to figure something out,” echoed shortstop Mookie Betts.
Take a quick glance at the numbers in this World Series, and the Dodgers’ hitting problems are relatively easy to explain.
Shohei Ohtani (who took another Ruthian round of batting practice Thursday) does not have a hit since reaching base nine times in the 18-inning Game 3 marathon. Betts (who spent as much time hitting as anyone Thursday) has bottomed out with a three-for-25 performance.
Other important bats, including Muncy and Tommy Edman, are hitting under .200. And as a team, the Dodgers have 55 strikeouts (11 more than the Blue Jays), a .201 overall average and just six hits in 30 at-bats with runners in scoring position.
“We got a lot of guys who aren’t hot right now, aren’t feeling the best,” Edman said Wednesday night. “But we got to turn the page, and hopefully we can swing it better the next couple days.”
“As a group,” Kiké Hernández added, “it’s time for us to show our character and put up a fight and see what happens. … It’s time for us, for the offense, to show up.”
Better production from Betts would be a good start.
On Wednesday night, the shortstop did not mince words about his recent offensive struggles, saying he has “just been terrible” after batting .164 in 13 games since the start of the National League Division Series.
Roberts tried to take some pressure off the former MVP in Game 5, moving him from second to third in a reshuffled batting order. But after that yielded yet another hitless performance, Roberts further simplified the task for his 33-year-old star.
“Focus on one game, and be good for one game,” Roberts said. “Go out there and compete.”
On Thursday, that was Betts’ focus, with multiple people around the team noting a quiet and renewed confidence he carried into his off-day batting practice session. He had long talks with hitting coach Robert Van Scoyoc, special assistant Ron Roenicke and Roberts around the hitting cage. He searched for answers to a swing that, of late, has generated too many shallow pop-ups and mishit balls.
Dodgers teammates Mookie Betts, left, Max Muncy, Tommy Edman and Freddie Freeman wait on the infield during a pitching change in the seventh inning of Game 5 of the World Series on Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
“He looked great,” fellow hitting coach Aaron Bates said. “Actually, his head was in a good place. Good spirits. The whole group, guys were great. Everyone came and showed up and hit and got their work in.”
For the Dodgers to save their season, it isn’t only Betts who will need to find a turnaround.
While Blue Jays starters Shane Bieber and Trey Yesavage pitched well in Games 4 and 5, the Dodgers also seemed to struggle to adapt their plan of attack — getting stuck in an “in-between” state, as both Roberts and several players noted, of both trying to attack fastballs and protect against secondary stuff.
“Sometimes we’re too aggressive,” outfielder Teoscar Hernández said. “Sometimes we’re too patient.”
“It seems like at-bats are snowballing on us right now,” Kiké Hernández added. “We’re getting pitches to hit, we’re missing them. And we’re expanding the zone with two strikes.”
Being “in-between” was a problem for the Dodgers late in the season, when they ranked just 12th in the majors in scoring after the All-Star break. That it is happening again raises a familiar question about the identity of the club.
Do they want to be an aggressive, slugging lineup that lives and dies by the home run? Or more of a contact-minded unit capable of grinding out at-bats and stressing an opposing pitcher’s pitch count. Roberts’ emphasis on better “compete” signaled the need to do more of the latter.
Freeman echoed that notion leading up to Game 5.
“If we’re going up there just trying to hit home runs, it’s just not the name of the game,” Freeman said. “We just need to check down and have, like, almost a 0-1 mindset. Just build innings, extend ‘em, work counts, be who we are.”
So, how do they actually go about doing that, ahead of a Game 6 matchup with a pitcher in Kevin Gausman who excels at mixing his fastball and splitter?
“Basically, you have to keep to your strengths,” Bates said. “And see what the next pitcher brings to the table.”
The only silver lining: The Dodgers have been in this spot before.
Last year, at the very start of their World Series run, they faced a similar situation in the NLDS against the San Diego Padres, winning back-to-back games with clutch offensive outbursts that helped catapult them to an eventual World Series title.
“We can do it again,” Freeman said.
“I think we’re a more talented team than we were last year,” Kike Hernández added.
Entering Friday, they will have two games to prove it. Now or never. Do, or watch their dreams of cementing a dynasty die.
Fenerbahce’s home EuroLeague fixtures against Israeli sides Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv next month have been relocated to Germany over security concerns.
The Turkish side were scheduled to host the clubs in Istanbul on 11 and 13 November, but the games will now be played in Munich on the same dates because of what Fenerbahce said were security measures implemented by Turkish authorities.
Fenerbahce said the games will be played at SAP Garden in the German city and be “open to the participation of our fans”.
The EuroLeague defending champions also had to relocate two games against Maccabi, originally scheduled to be held in Istanbul, to Lithuania last year.
Relations between Turkey and Israel have deteriorated since Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023.
Large anti-Israel demonstrations have taken place across Turkey since.
Last week, Fenerbahce and fellow EuroLeague side Efes Istanbul criticised the tournament organisers’ decision to allow Israeli clubs to resume playing at home from 1 December.
The Israeli teams have been playing their EuroLeague and EuroCup home games abroad since October 2023.
It is only the latest in a series of incidents where tensions surrounding the Israel-Gaza war have affected sports.
Earlier this month, a decision was made to bar Maccabi Tel Aviv football fans from attending the Europa League fixture against Aston Villa in Birmingham on 6 November on safety grounds.
Violence also broke out before Maccabi’s match against Ajax in the same competition in November last year.
There were also protests at the Israel national football team’s 2026 World Cup qualifier games in Norway and Italy this month.
Meanwhile, Israel-Premier Tech are to drop Israel from their name from next season after the cycling team, owned by Israeli-Canadian property billionaire Sylvan Adams, were at the centre of several disruptions by protesters during last month’s Vuelta a Espana in Spain.
Premier League clubs fight for Karl Etta Eyong’s signature, AC Milan interested in Joshua Zirkzee loan, Manchester United not pursuing Kevin Filling and Chelsea lead race for Kenan Yildiz.
Manchester City, Manchester United and Arsenal are in the running to sign 22-year-old Cameroon and Levante forward Karl Etta Eyong, who wants to resolve his future in January with Barcelona and Real Madrid also interested. (Mundo Deportivo – in Spanish, external)
Manchester United are not currently pursuing AIK’s Kevin Filling, despite reports they are in negotiations to sign the 16-year-old Swedish forward. (Manchester Evening News, external)
AC Milan could join the clubs interested in Manchester United forward Joshua Zirkzee, 24, if the Netherlands international is available on loan in January. (Gazzetta dello Sport – in Italian, external)
German champions Bayern Munich have entered into talks to sign 19-year-old Givairo Read, the Feyenoord and Netherlands Under-21 full-back who is also a target of several Premier League clubs including Liverpool. (Sky Sports – in German, external)
Former Tottenham and Nottingham Forest manager Ange Postecoglou is very unlikely to become Celtic’s next boss, with Ipswich Town’s Kieran McKenna and Wales head coach Craig Bellamy among the candidates. (Sky Sports, external)
Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen, 26, is still on Barcelona’s radar, but they are deterred by the price tag of the Nigeria international. (Mundo Deportivo – in Spanish, external)
Chelsea have emerged as favourites to sign Juventus forward Kenan Yildiz, 20, after tabling an exciting proposal for the Turkey international, but Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool are keen too. (Teamtalk, external)
Chelsea are actively working to sign Joaquin Panichelli from Ligue 1 side Strasbourg, but AC Milan have also shown interest in the 23-year-old Argentine striker. (Fichajes – in Spanish, external)
Barcelona defender Eric Garcia has agreed terms on a new Barcelona contract, despite the 24-year-old Spain international attracting interest from Chelsea and Tottenham. (TBR Football, external)
Tottenham will look to sign Juventus and Canada striker Jonathan David during the January transfer window, with Bayern Munich also eyeing the 25-year-old. (Fichajes – in Spanish, external)
The Rams star receiver, who sat out the last game because of an ankle injury, said Thursday that he was “feeling great” and planned to play on Sunday against the New Orleans Saints at SoFi Stadium.
“That’s the plan,” he said after practice. “I’m feeling fantastic. Feel ready to go.”
That enabled Nacua to rest and receive treatment for an injury suffered during an Oct. 12 victory against the Ravens in Baltimore.
Nacua had two catches for 28 yards before he and Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey leaped for a pass near the end zone. Both came down hard on the turf as the pass fell incomplete.
Nacua said he was intent on making sure that if he did not come down with the ball, neither would Humphrey.
“Really thought it was like just getting the wind knocked out of me, just of how I landed,” Nacua said. “Got up and I was like, ‘Oh, it’s definitely not my back.’”
The Rams defeated the Jaguars without Nacua to improve their record to 5-2 heading into the off week.
“Never a good time to be injured,” Nacua said, “but the bye did land at a great time to rest and recover.”
Nacua returns to a receiving corps that got a three-touchdown performance from Davante Adams against the Jaguars. The Rams, however, will be without Tutu Atwell, who is on injured reserve for at least four games because of a hamstring injury.
Nacua ranks third in the NFL with 54 catches and fourth with 616 yards receiving. He has two touchdown catches and also has rushed for a touchdown.
Nacua eclipsed 100 yards receiving three times this season, the last a month ago when he caught 13 passes for 170 yards in a 17-3 victory over the Indianapolis Colts.
“I asked Brendon how he changed that in English cricket, which was really interesting. Then we got into the technicalities of coaching someone one-on-one, what that looks like, his role as head coach in that versus his assistants.
“We sat for a good period of time and took loads from it. They’re on to a good thing.”
After beginning the series against Australia, England will also face Fiji, New Zealand and Argentina this autumn.
Meanwhile, the cricket team will play five Test matches as they look to regain the Ashes for the first time since they won in Australia a decade ago.
“They’ll go out and give it a great dig – as English teams who are playing against Australia want to – and hopefully we stick one on the board on Saturday,” said Wigglesworth, who was part of the British and Irish Lions set-up as they posted a 2-1 series win against the Wallabies in the summer.
“It’s a great rivalry with Australia. Both sides really enjoy playing against each other because there’s something there. Bring on Saturday.”
England are favourites against Australia, who are ranked seventh in the world.
The Wallabies finished third in the Rugby Championship with two wins from six games and beat Japan 19-15 in Tokyo on Saturday with a much-changed team.
