General Sports 24 Hours

Last updated: August 29, 2026, 9:41 AM ET

Boxing

Saturday's heavyweight title fight between Moses Itauma and Filip Hrgovic had its first fireworks at the weigh-in, where the British contender shoved his Croatian opponent off the stage before Hrgovic retaliated with a slap in a chaotic scene. The animosity carries into a bout that has the boxing world split, with pundits offering predictionsfor a fight that could reshape the division's immediate landscape. Meanwhile, Chantelle Cameron and Mikaela Mayer also butted headsat their final face-off ahead of Saturday's light-middleweight unification bout in Birmingham. The numbers behind that matchup reveal a fascinating contrast in styles, with a current champion and a boxing analyst breaking down what to expectwhen the two unbeaten fighters collide for all four belts.

College Football

The Bill Belichick era at North Carolina may already be nearing its endas the legendary NFL coach enters Year 2 amid reported turmoil within the program. The situation in Chapel Hill contrasts sharply with the broader optimism across college football, where Indiana's breakthrough last season ended a 30-year drought for first-time national champions. Now, 20 programs look poised to join that exclusive club, with several obvious candidates emerging from the preseason chatter. Beyond the title picture, scouts and analysts have identified 51 breakout candidatesfor the 2026 season, including Khobie Martin and Jabril Rawls, players who could dramatically alter their teams' fortunes this fall.

WNBA

Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell delivered a historic dual 34-point performanceas the Indiana Fever routed the Connecticut Sun 111-91 on Friday night. Clark's scoring outburst came on the same day she debuted her new"Friendship Bracelet" colorway, a Taylor Swift-inspired sneakerthat pays homage to the Eras Tour. As the league approaches the World Cup break, the top 50 player rankingsshow A'ja Wilson still holding the No. 1 spot, with Clark, Napheesa Collier and Angel Reese all jockeying for position in the upper tier.

Tennis

The US Open begins Sunday with Carlos Alcaraz returning to defend his title, Jannik Sinner out, and Aryna Sabalenka's No. 1 ranking on the line. British star Katie Boulter, newly married, says she has learned from Andy Murray's mistakes and won't be making the same wedding ring errorduring her run in New York. Murray has long been a guiding figure for British tennis, but Boulter is charting her own path when it comes to protecting her jewelry on court.

Cricket

England's head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed has denied any knowledgeof a Pakistan Cricket Board threat to the ECB over a Sky interview with Imran Khan's sons. On the field, England's rebuilt pace attack is impressing against Pakistan,with Michael Vaughan predicting the new quartetwill trouble Australia in the Ashes. In women's cricket, the Netherlands beat Scotland by 58 runsin the first ODI of their three-match series,with the Dutch taking a 1-0 lead.

Rugby League

Huddersfield Giants scored five tries to upset in-form Leighand keep the Leopards waiting to secure their Super League play-off place. The result breathes new life into the Giants' own postseason hopes and throws the race for the final spots into further chaos.

Rugby Union

Rory Best says Joe Schmidt's new role with Ulster is a case of small stepsas the province seeks to use the former Ireland coach's expertise to build a platform for long-term success. Best, a former Ulster captain, believes Schmidt's arrival can provide the structural foundation the province has lacked in recent seasons.

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College Basketball

Florida's Todd Golden has received his third raise in as many yearswith the Gators,a $1.5M increase that makes him the second-highest-paid basketball coach in the Southeastern Conference. The extension signals the school's commitment to Golden, who has transformed the program into a consistent contender.

NCAA Volleyball

A new generation of volleyball stars is emerging with famous last names. Kapri Garnett, Ryelle Rondo, Cari Spears and Kennedy Martin—daughters of NBA legends—are excelling in NCAA volleyballand building their own legacies far from the basketball court.

Triathlon

France's Cassandre Beaugrand earned her fourth straight WTCS winin Weihai,with Britain's Beth Potter finishing second. Beaugrand's dominance has established her as the clear favorite for major championships this season.

Cycling

Norway's Andreas Leknessund took an emotional first Grand Tour stage winas he climbed to victory on stage seven of the Vuelta a Espana. The 26-year-old's breakthrough moment came after years of near-missesat the highest level.

Golf

South Africa's Casandra Alexander surged clear at the Women's Irish Open,with two eagles propelling the overnight leader to a second-round 66at the K Club. Alexander now holds a commanding lead heading into the weekend.

Snooker

Ronnie O'Sullivan says he does not "want to throw in the towel just yet" after losing 6-3 to Chang Bingyuin the semi-finals of the Wuhan Open. The defeat extends O'Sullivan's title drought,but the seven-time world champion insists he has no intention of walking away from the sport.

Athletics

BBC Sport has revealed that Will Sharman, Richard Sharman and Lamin Deen were also convicted in the Morocco coach sex casethat led to Leon Baptiste's imprisonment. The additional convictions expand the scope of a case that has sent shockwaves through British athletics.

SEC Ruling

A federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order blocking the SECfrom enforcing a new rule that would penalize teams for using players who previously signed NFL, NBA or WNBA contracts. The ruling provides immediate relief for programs that had been bracing for potential sanctions.

Fantasy Baseball

As the fantasy baseball playoffs begin, the Week 22 forecastcovers Aug. 31 through Sept. 6,with pitcher rankings, hitter ratings and schedule observations to help managers set winning lineups.