Teofimo Lopez and Jaron Ennis appear to be moving closer to a potential matchup. Speculation around the highly anticipated bout has intensified, particularly after WBO super-lightweight champion Lopez hinted at a possible jump to the welterweight division at 147lbs.
Promoter Eddie Hearn recently shared updates on the developing talks regarding a clash between two-belt welterweight titleholder Jaron “Boots” Ennis and current WBO 140-pound champion Teofimo Lopez. In an interview with Fight Hub TV, Hearn expressed interest in the fight and noted ongoing discussions with Turki Alalshikh about making it happen.
“We’ve been talking to His Excellency about Boots against Teofimo, originally it was more October, it could be around August time now. We like the fight,” Hearn said.
“For Boots, after the [Karen] Chukhadzhian] fight, he was really considering a move to ’54. The [Eimantas] Stanionis unification came around and that’s what he wanted to do more than anything [unify the 147 belts]. Now it’s like, ‘do I stay at 147 or do I go to ’54? Can you get me another belt?’ Right now, Brian Norman’s on the missing list, and Mario Barrios is fighting Manny Pacquiao. So, no, is the answer. Okay, so what have we got at ’54? Then out the blue the Teofimo fight comes around. It may not be a massive motivator to Ennis, but it is a big fight. So, my answer is, if Jaron stays at 147, I think there’s a very good chance he’ll fight Teofimo Lopez next.”
Ennis, who holds a perfect record of 34-0 with 30 knockouts, delivered an impressive performance in his April win over Stanionis. Meanwhile, Lopez, now 22-1 with 13 knockouts, secured a comfortable victory against Arnold Barboza Jr earlier this month.
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The ongoing saga with the NFL Players Association has taken another turn, as the organization is also reportedly the subject of a federal investigation. ESPN's Don Van Natta Jr. and Kalyn Kahler reported on Friday that there is an ongoing criminal investigation involving the NFLPA regarding potential misuse of funds and self-enrichment of union officials. A senior union attorney sent a memo to NFLPA officials this week informing them of the federal probe. The document states that the NFLPA is "now on notice of financial actions that may be criminal" and that the union faces "immediate threats requiring prompt actions," according to ESPN. While the document did not specify which individuals are part of the criminal investigation, the notice was sent days after executive director Lloyd Howell Jr. and director of strategy J.C. Tretter resigned from their positions with the NFLPA. Howell was accused of misusing union funds and faced other troubling allegations. Tretter resigned because he felt like he was left to take the heat for the scandal that has been unfolding, though he has denied any wrongdoing. The NFLPA is searching for an interim executive director. ESPN reports that the memo sent to union officials this week warns that potentially hiring an outside executive director might not be a wise move without knowing exactly how deep "the problems may be." Howell was the executive director of the NFLPA for two years.
Shortly after former Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback and current college football analyst Greg McElroy shared that someone "in the know" believes there's a possibility Nick Saban — who retired in January 2024 — might return to coaching, NFL insider Albert Breer suggested that the Dallas Cowboys could be a potential destination for the seven-time national champion. According to Mike Rodak of 247Sports, Saban was asked during a Friday appearance on Fox News if he intends to come out of retirement. "No, I'm really happy with what I'm doing right now," Saban responded. "It's exciting to still be involved in the game. It's exciting for me to work with athletic directors, conference commissioners, people in Congress to preserve the integrity of our game and continue to be able to create opportunities to help young people create value for their future that will help them be successful in their life, which is what we always try to do as a coach." Saban, now working as an ESPN analyst, will be 74 in October. Per Christian Datoc of the Washington Examiner, President Donald Trump could consider having Saban "lead a new commission examining problems arising with the growth of name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights and coinciding changes to the NCAA transfer process." Meanwhile, it's thought that Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones could look to hire a big-name candidate if first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer fails to impress during the 2025 campaign. Additionally, Fox Sports personality Colin Cowherd recently hinted that Saban could be interested in becoming the head coach of the Cleveland Browns if the team selects Texas quarterback Arch Manning as the first pick in the 2026 draft. "There is no opportunity that I know of right now that would enhance me to go back to coaching," Saban added during Friday's segment. "I enjoy what I'm doing. I did it for 50 years. I loved it. I loved the relationships with the players. I loved the competition. But it's another station of life now. I enjoy what I'm doing right now and want to continue to do it — spend more time with my family, my grandchildren, my children. It's been really, really good." The "right now" portion of Saban's comments attracted the attention of Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio, who was quick to point out he did not say "no for good" regarding a return to coaching. In short, it seems that rumors about Saban's future could hover over the college and pro football communities through at least the rest of the year.
The Cincinnati Bengals have finally reached an agreement with first-round pick Shemar Stewart, putting an end to what became the story of the offseason for the team. Stewart, drafted 17th overall in this year's draft, has finally agreed to a four-year, fully guaranteed $18.97 million deal that includes a $10.4 million signing bonus, according to his agent Zac Hiller of LAA. Now with this deal done, every first-round pick is signed. The road to this deal was a bumpy ride. For months, negotiations between Stewart’s camp and the Bengals front office stalled due to disagreements over contract language, particularly around guarantees. The team pushed to include contract language that could void the deal under certain off-field circumstances, but since other Bengals first-round picks did not face similar terms, Stewart stood firm and refused to sign. Both sides remained firm throughout the offseason, leading to a long standoff and a lot of reports of frustration from both sides. Despite the frustration and disagreement, the Bengals and Stewart’s group continued to engage in conversations, trying to find a resolution to the issue. And finally, after weeks of back and forth and weeks of controversy surrounding what Stewart may be forced to do, both parties appear to have met in the middle and found common ground. For the Bengals, getting Stewart signed and ready for training camp is a major win. Stewart was viewed as a developmental prospect who needed plenty of on-field reps to reach his full potential. Stewart's absence from earlier camps had slowed a lot of his progress. With the contract dispute resolved, he can now focus entirely on gaining important reps and continuing his development over the coming weeks. Now with this contract done and over with, the team can put their full focus on Trey Hendrickson, who is also seeking a long term deal. If the Bengals can get a deal done with Trey before the season kicks off, they would secure their edge-rushing room for not only 2025, but for years beyond. For a team looking to go all in on making the playoffs, signing Stewart was long overdue. Now it will be vital for the team to get Stewart up to speed with the rest of the roster, and allow him to get as many reps as possible before the 2025 season begins.
The Sixers are waiving Ricky Council IV, the team announced in a press release. Council signed a four-year, partially guaranteed deal with the Sixers in 2024, which contained a team option for the 2026-27 season. Last season, he averaged 7.3 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 17.1 minutes per night — all career-high numbers. Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports notes that the timing of the move was unexpected, given that Council’s guarantee date is on Jan. 10, 2026, and the team currently has an open roster spot if they need it to add restricted free agent Quentin Grimes. While Council struggled with his three-point shot last season, he emerged as a reliable depth contributor, playing a team-high 73 games while bringing athleticism and energy from the wing positions.
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