The overarching narrative surrounding the 2022 NFL Draft class is well established. It's not a star-studded class, but it's a deep class.
And nowhere is this draft deeper than at edge rusher.
NFL teams place a premium on players who can get after the quarterback, but this year they may not have to spend a premium pick to land such a prospect who can make an immediate difference at the highest level.
Like quarterbacks, top pass rushers get pushed up the board, but some teams may be content to wait until day two of this year's draft to boost their front seven, safe in the knowledge that there will still be a host of talented edge players available.
By its very nature, the draft is a subjective exercise, but a look at the pressure numbers for the top edge rushers in this class provides an idea of how they should be stacked as opening night in Las Vegas draws ever closer.
The sure thing
He may not end up as the first overall pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars, but Michigan's Aidan Hutchinson has the most compelling case as the most complete and the most 'pro-ready' edge rusher in the draft.
Hutchinson has the flexibility to bend around the edge but can also win with his bull rush and has the quickness to successfully attack the inside shoulder of opposing offensive tackles.
Boasting a well-refined repertoire off pass rush moves, including the cross-chop, two-hand swipe, rip, club and swim, Hutchinson's pressure rate of 30.8 per cent in 2021 was topped only by UAB sleeper Alex Wright (31.3 per cent). Similarly, Wright (18.7 per cent) was the sole player to top Hutchinson's run disruption rate of 17.9 per cent.
Yet while Wright recorded 11.5 sacks in three seasons at a Group of Five school, Hutchinson had 14 in the 2021 campaign alone as he helped Michigan come within touching distance of the mountaintop – the Wolverines losing in the College Football Playoff semi-finals.
He also demonstrated considerable prowess against the run, registering double-digit tackles for loss in 2019 (10) and 2021 (16.5).
Beating a man on 72 of his 85 pressures in 2021, Hutchinson has an array of tools by which to defeat pass protection and will enter the league as a high-floor, day-one contributor.
Should the Jags choose to go in a different direction, the team that land him may be sending thank you cards to Jacksonville for years to come.
Debate club
At the start of last season, it would have been tough to find much debate around Oregon star Kayvon Thibodeaux, a prospect almost universally seen as a future top-five pick.
Now there are questions over whether he will even go in the top 10.
Any potential fall down the board will not be down to his ability to generate pressure, which he did on 24.5 per cent of his pass-rush snaps in 2021, beating a pass protector on 44 of his 49 pressures.
Instead, doubts around Thibodeaux seem to be tied to a perceived lack of effort and concerns over his love of the game, a reflection of the archaic way in which the league often views prospects who have the temerity to have outside interests away from the field.
Any such worries over his other interests should certainly not overshadow Thibodeaux's consistently outstanding performances, which have seen him create pressure through his excellent first step and ability to translate speed to power.
Indeed, Thibodeaux can generate an exceptional bull rush but can also bend around the edge and has the quickness to win to create disruption up the middle, his tremendous physical traits supplemented by a well-stocked repertoire of pass-rush moves.
With 35.5 tackles for loss and 19 sacks in three seasons, Thibodeaux has the production, the athleticism and the tape of a sure-fire top-five prospect. More bemusing than talk of him falling down the draft is the hype around the player who could well go number one overall.
Georgia's Travon Walker has the God-given athletic gifts over which teams salivate, running the 40 at the Combine in 4.51 seconds at 272 pounds, yet he does not have the production to back it up, with his tape from an extremely successful collegiate career with the Bulldogs leaving more questions than answers.
Deployed primarily as a run defender and often asked on passing downs to either drop into coverage or open up rushing lanes for blitzing linebackers, Walker had only 9.5 sacks in college.
That six of those came in 2021 could be seen as a sign of progress. However, with Walker posting a pressure rate of just 12 per cent and beating his man on only 16 of his 31 pressures, he clearly still has a long way to go as a pass rusher.
Between his obvious explosiveness and the power he has in his hands, Walker is, in essence, an exciting project for the right defensive line coach to mould. However, the presence of more proven higher-floor pass rushers at the top of the draft makes the prospect of the Jaguars putting the burden of rapidly developing him on their staff a needless risk for Jacksonville.
Destined for day one
If the Jags are determined to hitch their wagon to a former Georgia star with only one season of college production, they would be better served by choosing Jermaine Johnson II to be that player.
Johnson transferred from Georgia to Florida State and thrived on a poor Seminoles team in 2021, racking up 11.5 sacks and 17.5 tackles for loss.
A force against the run in his lone season in Tallahassee, Johnson's pressure rate of 16.8 does not paint the picture of an elite edge prospect.
However, only Hutchinson had more adjusted sacks (18) than Johnson's 17, a two-hand swipe move and a spin move helping him beat a pass protector on 40 of his 50 pressures. If he can become more consistent in pairing his explosiveness with leverage and use his flexibility to turn the corner more regularly, Johnson has a chance to emerge as the cream of this year's edge rush crop.
Penn State's Arnold Ebiketie is another transfer who made the most of his change of scenery, excelling in his single year with the Nittany Lions after switching from Temple, using his long arms to superb effect as he posted a pressure rate of 21.1 per cent, his success in getting into the pads of opposing pass protectors allowing him to record 9.5 sacks and 18 tackles for loss.
Ebiketie is still building his pass rush weaponry but blends leverage, speed and power to win with his bull rush. Able to win to the inside and around the edge, the arrow is pointing up for Ebiketie and there will be no shortage of teams ready to try to keep him on that trajectory in the pros.
Explosiveness and power are the calling cards of Purdue's George Karlaftis, who, after playing only two games in 2020, had a pressure rate of 21.9 per cent last season.
Only Hutchinson and Wright beat a pass protector more often than Karlaftis (47), and the former Boilermaker figures to soon be testing the anchor of tackles around the league after consistently putting Big Ten competition on skates.
Each of that trio are likely to come off the board on night one. That same honour probably won't be afforded to South Carolina's Kingsley Enagbare or Drake Jackson of USC, though both had top-five pressure rates in 2021.
Enagbare (24.6) has an array of moves to rival Hutchinson and a bull rush akin to that of Karlaftis when he puts it all together, but a lack of speed and flexibility to turn the corner may force him to wait until day two. Jackson (24.2) was third in adjusted sack rate (6.7 per cent) and flashed dominance with his first step and dip to get around the edge, but a failure to truly take over games at the Pac-12 level will likely mean his celebrations will have to wait until the Friday of draft week.
The injury gamble
Hutchinson's former Michigan team-mate David Ojabo would almost certainly be in the first-round mix had he not suffered an Achilles injury during his pro day.
Due to that piece of misfortune, teams must now decide whether they are willing to take a risk on a player who may not be healthy enough to contribute significantly as a rookie.
Agreeing to that gamble will mean putting faith in Ojabo's long-term potential, which is undoubted.
Nigerian-born Ojabo moved to the United States from Scotland in 2017 and originally played basketball before turning his attention to American football.
Still relatively inexperienced, Ojabo has enticing room to grow but at the same time demonstrated impressive polish as he broke out in 2021 with 11 sacks and 12 tackles for loss.
With a pressure rate of 21.3 per cent and the highest adjusted sack rate in the class at 7.6 per cent, Ojabo can get the better of pass blockers through a number of avenues.
He has the speed to get around the edge, has developed an excellent spin move and possesses a rip move with which he has also found success.
For a player who came to the sport late, Ojabo has also demonstrated impressive awareness of the importance of playing half a man when rushing the passer.
Encouragingly refined but still boasting untapped potential, there is obvious risk in taking Ojabo, but depending on the progress of his recovery, he could quickly make an impact as a designated pass rusher on third down.
Novak Djokovic again overcame the challenge of a fellow home favourite to advance to the semi-finals at the Serbia Open on Thursday.
The world number one had battled from a set down against Laslo Djere 24 hours earlier and was once more made to work hard for his win versus Miomir Kecmanovic.
The seventh seed took the opener without facing a break point and led early in the second set too.
But Kecmanovic could not hold off Djokovic, who recovered to win 4-6 6-3 6-3 and reach the last four for the fourth time in five campaigns in Belgrade.
After two victories in two nights against Serbians for the two-time winner, Djokovic is on a 10-0 run in matches with his compatriots and 27-4 all-time.
The 20-time grand slam champion also has a 36-6 record in Serbia and has particularly enjoyed the "strange" opportunity to face his countrymen in front of a home crowd.
"It's a very strange feeling, sharing the court with your compatriots," he said. "Obviously the crowd was phenomenal for both players in yesterday's match and today's.
"They're very rare occasions when I'm able to play at home and experience this atmosphere, so I'm trying to enjoy every single moment."
Djokovic is the last Serbian remaining in the tournament, though, and takes on third seed Karen Khachanov – a winner against Thiago Monteiro – in the semis.
There remain two quarter-finals to play on Friday, as Andrey Rublev faces Taro Daniel while Fabio Fognini welcomes the challenge of Oscar Otte.
Meanwhile, there were only two matches completed at the Barcelona Open due to rain, but Ilya Ivashka ensured fans were rewarded for their patience as he took Stefanos Tsitsipas the distance.
Ivashka eventually went down 6-1 4-6 6-2 to the top seed in a heavily delayed second-round contest.
Illinois junior Kofi Cockburn announced on Thursday that he is declaring for the 2022 NBA Draft.
The 22-year-old Cockburn was born in Kingston, Jamaica, before moving to New York in 2014. He played his high school basketball at Christ the King Regional High School in New York before transferring to renowned basketball school Oak Hill Academy in Virginia for his senior season where he was teammates with current NBA players Cole Anthony of the Orlando Magic and Cameron Thomas of the Brooklyn Nets.
The 7-foot centre averaged 20.9 points, 10.6 rebounds and 1.0 block on 59.3 per cent shooting in 28 games during his junior season with the Fighting Illini.
Cockburn was the only player in college basketball to average over 20 points and 10 rebounds this past season. The consensus first-team All-American helped lead Illinois to a Big Ten Championship, which it shared with Wisconsin.
Cockburn, who tested the waters prior to the 2020 and 2021 NBA Drafts before ultimately withdrawing both times to continue playing at Illinois, told ESPN his decision is final this time.
"I'm 100 per cent in now. I'm not going back to college. I'm signing with agent Todd Ramasar. I've tested the waters enough, I'm 100 per cent dedicated to going all the way," he said.
The 2022 NBA Draft will take place on June 23 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Billie Jean King has spoken out against the ban on Russian and Belarusian players imposed at Wimbledon this year as a result of the war in Ukraine.
The All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) announced on Wednesday that players from the two nations would not be eligible for the grand slam, with the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) stating it would implement the same rule across all its upcoming tournaments.
Upon announcing its decision, the AELTC cited a responsibility "to limit Russia's global influence through the strongest means possible".
The blanket ban rules the likes of Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev, Aryna Sabalenka and Victoria Azarenka out of contention, and that is something King is against.
She posted on Twitter: "The decision of the LTA and AELTC regarding Russian and Belarusian players at this year's tournament was a difficult and complex undertaking, and I appreciate the challenges and pressures they are facing.
"One of the guiding principles of the founding of the WTA was that any girl in the world, if she was good enough, would have a place to compete.
"I stood by that in 1973 and I stand by that today. I cannot support the banning of individual athletes from any tournament, simply because of their nationality.
"Tennis is stronger when we stand together, and our continue support of the Tennis Plays for Peace initiative, which provides meaningful financial support and resources to Ukraine, needs to be our focus."
The ATP and WTA criticised the AELTC's decision, while Martina Navratilova and Novak Djokovic have also voiced their opposition.
In a statement published on Thursday, the Belarusian Tennis Federation (BTF) said it was seeking legal advice.
"The Belarusian Tennis Federation categorically condemns the decision taken by the organisers of Wimbledon to suspend Belarusian and Russian tennis players. Such destructive actions in no way contribute to the resolution of conflicts, but only incite hatred and intolerance on a national basis," read the release.
"Throughout the history of tennis, armed conflicts have occurred in the world – in Iran, Afghanistan, Syria, Yugoslavia and other countries – but not until now have tournament organisers suspended athletes from the United States, Great Britain and other countries.
"Illegal decisions of international tennis organizations in relation to our athletes undermines the reputation of these organisations.
"Consultations of the BTF leadership with international law firms on sports law are ongoing and a strategy is being developed that is aimed at protecting Belarusian tennis players around the world."
Potential first overall pick Paolo Banchero has declared for the 2022 NBA Draft after a superb season for Duke under Mike Krzyzewski.
Banchero is considered one of the top prospects in the coming draft class after averaging 17.2 points and 7.8 rebounds across 39 games in a single season with the Blue Devils.
In the final season of coach Krzyzewski's 42-year Duke career, Banchero played a key role in the team's ACC regular season championship triumph, as well as their run to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament.
Duke's season was ended by rivals North Carolina, but Banchero had 20 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks in that losing effort.
Now, he will take those talents to the NBA, announcing his entry to the draft in a video message that included words of thanks for his team-mates, fans and 'Coach K'.
"To Coach K, it was an honour to be a part of your final season," the forward said. "Thank you for pushing me every single day and expecting nothing but the best out of me.
Banchero added: "It has always been a dream of mine to play at Duke, and it has always been a dream of mine to play in the NBA.
"Duke has prepared me for that on and off the court. I'm excited to announce that I'll be entering my name in the 2022 NBA Draft.
"It has been a great journey and I'm blessed to be a part of 'The Brotherhood' for life."
Krzyzewski expects Banchero to have an impact among the pros, saying: "Paolo had a truly incredible season and is absolutely ready to attack the next phase of his playing career.
"He put up remarkable numbers and won awards, but he always put the team first. Paolo is a great leader in that regard and someone all of our players admired, even though he was just a freshman.
"He is so dynamic, explosive and versatile – a model player in today's NBA game.
"He did whatever we asked at a very high level. I loved having him and his family in our program and wish him all the best as his professional career begins."
Alex Ovechkin became just the third player to score 50 goals in nine different NHL seasons after adding two for the Washington Capitals in Wednesday's 4-3 overtime defeat to the Vegas Golden Knights.
Mike Bossy and Wayne Gretzky were the only players to previously reach that mark in nine separate campaigns.
"Obviously, it's pretty good company," Ovechkin said afterwards.
And the Capitals great took another record outright in the process, as the oldest player to score 50 goals in a season.
Ovechkin is 36, surpassing John Bucyk, who was aged 35 years and 327 days at the end of his 51-goal season in 1970-71.
It was special, too, for Ovechkin to achieve the feat at T-Mobile Arena, where he and the Capitals clinched the Stanley Cup Finals in 2018.
"Obviously, there's lots of great memories, locker room, everything, hotel," he said. "It's going stay here forever... yeah, pretty fun moments."
Ovechkin now has 780 career goals, still trailing Gretzky (894) and Gordie Howe (801).
Joel Embiid suffered a thumb injury as he led the Philadelphia 76ers to a road win at the Toronto Raptors but is confident it will not impact him in Game 4.
The 76ers took a 3-0 lead in the first-round series with Wednesday's 104-101 overtime victory, which was sealed by Embiid's turnaround three-pointer with 0.8 seconds remaining.
This two-game road trip was expected to be tricky for the 76ers, who are missing Matisse Thybulle, as he is not fully vaccinated.
But the Raptors have been without star rookie Scottie Barnes and now face the prospect of being swept when the series continues on Saturday.
Embiid is certainly hoping that will be the case, confirming he will again have a big role to play despite emerging after Game 3 with his right thumb in a brace.
"I think I might have twisted it, so we are going to see what's going on tomorrow," Embiid said before being asked if he would be kept on the sideline.
"No," he replied. "No chance, no."
As an MVP candidate and the biggest threat to the Raptors, Embiid was the centre of attention for the Scotiabank Arena crowd.
The 76ers center was jeered throughout in his first playoff game in Canada since an awful six-for-18 shooting performance in Game 7 of the 2019 Eastern Conference semi-finals, when it was Kawhi Leonard's turn to score a dramatic winner for the Raptors.
But Embiid said: "It felt great. Obviously we know what happened a couple of years ago. It just felt great.
"I just knew that coming in here tonight, it was going to be a tough place. Obviously, it's always a tough place to play, especially in the playoffs. They've got great fans, they're loud.
"I know coming into Toronto I was definitely going to be the bad guy for quite some time. So I just wanted to come out and let the game come to me. It felt great, but the job is not done."
The 21 points Embiid scored in Game 7 three years ago were actually his most on the road in that series, averaging just 15.5 per cent and 34.0 per cent shooting in playoff games at Scotiabank Arena prior to Wednesday's visit.
The 28-year-old finished with 33 points, on 12-for-20 shooting, and 13 rebounds this time but insisted "revenge" was not on his mind.
"It's just the first round to me," Embiid said. "Honestly, I haven't really thought about what happened three years ago.
"Obviously, the shot makes me feel good about what kind of happened. But during this whole series, I haven't really thought about coming in here and trying to get my revenge.
"I think I'm more focused about trying to win the whole thing, one game at a time, and trying to do whatever's necessary to get us there."
Former world champion Ricky Hatton will return to the ring for an exhibition fight against Marco Antonio Barrera on July 2 at the age of 43.
Hatton retired 10 years ago after he was beaten by Vyacheslav Senchenko at Manchester Arena.
The Brit, who won welterweight and light-welterweight world titles during an illustrious career, is to step into the ring one more time for eight rounds with 48-year-old Mexican Barrera.
Hatton says the event in his hometown of Manchester will be a one-off.
He posted on social media: "It's not how you fall, it's how you rise... This is why July 2 is going to be a party not to be missed..."
Hatton added: "I am doing this for fans who struggled being locked up with Covid.
"I got a call and was asked if I would come back to do this for the fans who have been locked up for ages during Covid. Covid has been tough for me, for everyone.
"I want to inspire people who have had mental health problems, too. They can look at me and say 'He struggled and now look at where he is’ so they can do it too."
Carlos Sainz has penned a contract extension with Ferrari to take the Formula One driver through the end of the 2024 season.
The Spaniard, who originally joined the Italian outfit for the 2021 season and finished fifth in last year's world drivers' championship with a best finish of second at the Monaco Grand Prix.
Following a bright start to the new campaign, he has now been handed a renewed deal to take him through the next two years.
"I am very happy to have renewed my contract with Scuderia Ferrari," Sainz said upon confirmation of his extension on Thursday. "I have always said that there is no better Formula 1 team to race for.
"After over a year with them, I can confirm that putting on this race suit and representing this team is unique and incomparable.
"My first season at Maranello was solid and constructive, with the whole group progressing together. The result of all that work has been clear to see so far season."
In his first season at the team, Sainz posted four podium finishes – double what he had achieved across the six seasons prior in F1.
Back-to-back finishes on the steps across the first two races of the new campaign, before a retirement in Australia, means he sits third in the drivers' standings so far this term.
He is still chasing a maiden win, however, and sits seventh on the all-time list for most races without a victory in the sport, with 144 under his belt.
"I feel strengthened by this renewed show of confidence in me and now I can’t wait to get in the car, to do my best for Ferrari and to give its fans plenty to cheer about," Sainz added.
"The F1-75 is proving to be a front-runner, which can allow me to chase my goals on track, starting with taking my first Formula 1 win."
Sainz will hope to make it three podium finishes in four races when he heads to Imola this weekend for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
Giannis Antetokounmpo says being without Khris Middleton for any length of time would be a "tremendous loss" for the Milwaukee Bucks.
Middleton sprained the medial collateral ligament in his left knee during the fourth quarter of the Bucks' 114-110 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday.
Head coach Mike Budenholzer confirmed Middleton will undergo an MRI scan on Thursday to determine his status for the rest of the first-round playoff series, which is level at 1-1.
At the very least, the 30-year-old faces a race against time to be ready for Game 3 on Friday, and Antetokounmpo acknowledged that would be a huge blow for his side.
"We need this guy. When he asks for a sub, you know that it's bothering him because he doesn't leave the game," Antetokounmpo said.
"You expect him to get up and walk it off and get back to the game, but you see he was limping and limping and you're thinking like, 'Oh, I hope it's not bad, I hope it's not bad."
Middleton had scored 18 points and provided eight assists before leaving the game and has averaged 20.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.4 assists this season.
He averaged at least 21.5 points in the past four playoff series and had 24 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game in the NBA Finals.
"We have a job to do here," Antetokounmpo added. "Khris is one of the best players on the team, if he's not able to be with us, it's going to be a tremendous loss for us."
Antetokounmpo led the scoring for the Bucks with 33 points, but that was not enough as the Bulls – inspired by 41-point DeMar DeRozan – levelled up the series.
The Bucks also lost Bobby Portis in the first quarter after being caught in the face by an elbow from Tristan Thompson, but Budenholzer is optimistic he can make a swift return.
"We anticipate he should be fine with some time and that he should be good," Budenholzer said.
DeRozan's career playoff-high scoring return ensured the Bulls beat the third-seeded Bucks for just a second time in 19 meetings.
"No matter what you did in the regular season, this is a brand new start and new mindset," DeRozan said.
"You could see it in all the guys. It doesn't matter if we'd lost 20 times to those guys. This is an opportunity for us to compete. We've got to take advantage of it."
Novak Djokovic "cannot support" Wimbledon's decision to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes from competition this year.
The All-England Club moved to suspend players from the two nations from entering this year's grand slam event, amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The decision is the latest major sporting sanction against the two nations, with Russia barred from World Cup qualification for Qatar 2022 and the Formula One Russian Grand Prix cancelled.
It has been met with considerable pushback, however, with the ATP blasting the decision as "unfair".
Now Djokovic has come out against it too, arguing it is not the fault of the players, who are being punished for actions beyond their control.
"I will always be the first one to condemn the war," said Djokovic, who is currently in action on home soil in the Serbia Open. "As a child of war, I know what kind of emotional trauma a war leaves.
"Us in Serbia, we know what was happening here in 1999. Ordinary people always suffer – we've had lots of wars in the Balkans.
"That being said, I cannot support the Wimbledon decision. It's not the athletes' fault. When politics interfere with sport, it usually doesn't turn out well."
Eighteen-time grand slam winner Martina Navratilova also pushed back against the move in an interview on LBC Radio.
"The Russian and Belarusian players, some have even expressed, vocalised, their opposition to the war," she added.
"The only option therefore now for them to play would be to leave their country.
"That’s something that I had to do in 1975, because of a totalitarian regime and now we are asking them to do the same, because of politics, because of optics.
"I understand the banning of teams, of course, representing the countries, but on an individual level, I just think it's wrong."
Kevin Durant accepts it is down to him to step up and rescue the Brooklyn Nets' playoff series after struggling once again as his side fell 2-0 down to the Boston Celtics.
The 12-time NBA All-Star went zero-of-10 from the field in the second half, which is the most field attempts without a make in any half during his career.
While Durant did manage to score 12 points in the second half, it was not enough as the Celtics overturned a 17-point deficit to prevail 114-107 on Wednesday.
He is now 13-for-40 from the field in the series, having also struggled in the Nets' 115-114 loss in Game 1.
"It's on me to just finish it and figure it out," Durant said when asked about his latest underwhelming display.
"I'm not expecting my team-mates or the defense to give me anything. I've just got to go out there and play."
Despite being targeted by multiple players, Durant still led the scoring with 27 points at TD Garden as he finished 18-of-20 from the free throw line.
Rather than complain about opposition tactics, though, the 33-year-old hopes to find a solution in time for Game 3 in Brooklyn on Saturday.
"They're playing two, three guys off me sometimes on me when I'm off the ball," Durant said. "They're mucking up actions when I run off stuff.
"I see [Al] Horford leaving his man to come over and hit me sometimes. Two or three guys hit me wherever I go. And that's just the nature of the beast in the playoffs.
"I feel like I got a couple good shots there in the fourth that just didn't go down, but I see a few of their guys around me every time I get the ball.
"So I got to be more patient, but also play fast sometimes, too."
Kyrie Irving, who added 10 points for the Nets, believes the blame should be shared on the back of successive defeats.
"We're going against the No. 1 team in defense in the league. They've proven it, so it's not going to be easy, but it can be done," he said.
"I've got to get [Durant] to his spots and make the game a lot easier, and I believe I can do that with the assistance of the coaches and having a game plan to attack this defense."
Tyson Fury is set to defend his WBC world heavyweight title against Dillian Whyte on Saturday, and while all logic points to smooth sailing for the champion, there may be more factors at play than meets the eye.
Fury is arguably the top pound-for-pound talent in boxing, and at six-foot-nine with a seven-foot wingspan, he is one of the sport's toughest puzzles to crack.
The 33-year-old sports a record of 31 wins and one extremely controversial draw against Deontay Wilder, which he avenged twice with back-to-back finishes of the heavy-handed American.
In a vacuum, 'The Gypsy King' by unanimous decision seems like the overwhelmingly likely result as his physical gifts and boxing skill should allow him to rack up rounds on the judges' scorecards as he picks apart the slower, smaller Whyte from the outside.
Whyte, at six-foot-four, is the shortest opponent Fury has faced since Sefer Seferi in June 2018.
But fights are not fought in a vacuum, and there are some familiar storylines clouding over the head of the reigning champion that could mean the Fury we see on Saturday may not be the same animal that dominated Wilder.
Fury's last dance
First and foremost, Fury is adamant that this will be his last fight, and he will retire in the ring this weekend – win, lose or draw.
Fighter retirements must always be taken with a grain of salt, given the fact that it has now become a common tactic among top attractions in order to drum up massive interest in their eventual return.
However, Fury's feels different. This week he has been outspoken with the media about his desire to retire after his last fight with Wilder, but the prospect of returning home and fighting in front of 94,000 at Wembley convinced him to go around one more time.
"It's been a long old ride, it’s quite emotional to be honest," he said.
"All this, the ride of starting as a little kid and wanting to be heavyweight champion, and then to finally be hanging up the gloves.
"And I know nobody believes me, because they all think I'm after money or whatever else – there's only a certain amount of people who know that money doesn't mean anything to me."
Simply put, Fury is only fighting for the honour of retiring undefeated, and the biggest fights of his career – taking the world championship off Wladimir Klitschko, and coming to America to take on Wilder – are behind him.
Fury will still have his skills, his size and his experience when he steps into the ring against Whyte, but the history of combat sports is littered with examples of fighters who have fought with one foot out the door, and that desire to continue to be great, and dominant, is something that can fade.
'Marvelous' Marvin Hagler once said "it's tough to get out of bed to do roadwork at 5am when you've been sleeping in silk pyjamas", and there is no heavyweight alive with silkier pyjamas than Fury right now.
Whyte, on the other hand, is heading into the fight of his life, and his last real opportunity to propel himself into the realm of boxing royalty.
At 34, with two losses on his record, the only way someone at Whyte's level can leap into the next stratosphere as a prize-fighting main attraction is to win a marquee fight against someone currently wearing the crown.
Add in the fact that he is an Englishman, raised in Brixton, living out the dream of competing at Wembley in the biggest fight of his career, and from a motivational standpoint, it appears the advantage is clearly in Whyte's corner.
Fury the boxer, or Fury the entertainer?
Much has been made of Fury's change in trainers late in 2019, where he began training under the tutelage of SugarHill Steward.
The stylistic changes have been apparent, and in Fury's own words: "I punch a lot harder, I use a more aggressive style, and I'm looking to get people out of there rather than out-box them."
He has only fought twice with Steward in his corner, and both times were against Wilder – a boxer solely focused on landing a knockout, with no interest in stacking up rounds with patient boxing.
Whyte approaches things far differently. He does not head-hunt – a trait that earned him the nickname 'The Body Snatcher' – and he is more than happy to win by decision.
Given Fury's incredible size and movement skills, a game-plan centred around attacking the body – which moves around far less than the head – is the most sustainable way to tally scoring punches.
Whyte has never been knocked out in 52 combined professional fights across boxing, kickboxing and mixed martial arts, so if Fury is in there looking to end his career on a high with one big shot, Whyte can steal three or four early rounds and turn it into a tight decision.
Great Whyte hope
Not to get lost in Fury's skill superiority is the fact that Whyte is, obviously, very talented in his own right.
His first loss came against Anthony Joshua back in 2015, and it was the first time Whyte had been faced with an undefeated professional opponent with more than five fights.
Needless to say, he was not ready, but was still able to take multiple rounds off the Olympic gold medallist before his eventual demise in round seven.
Since then, Whyte has successfully dealt with fellow world title contenders Dereck Chisora (twice), Lucas Browne (by knockout) and Joseph Parker, and after being derailed by Alexander Povetkin in August 2020, he responded by knocking him out in the rematch eight months later.
That knockout earned Whyte this shot at Fury, and in his long, winding road to his chance at the taking the throne, he has proven his ability to respond to adversity, win close fights and do damage to elite heavyweights.
If Fury is truly done, Whyte could be the man tasked with carrying the torch for British heavyweight boxing going forward, and a win could set up another English mega-fight – this time with Joshua.
An imposing Shohei Ohtani claimed his first win of the MLB season as the Los Angeles Angels defeated the Houston Astros 6-0 on Wednesday.
Ohtani threw 81 pitches on a night where an 85-pitch limit seemed likely, as well as getting two at-bats in a six-run first inning.
The reigning American League MVP pitched perfect into the sixth inning, with a career-best 12 strikeouts, while also getting two hits and two RBIs in the shutout.
With the Astros traditionally providing him trouble, the 27-year-old did not allow a baserunner until Jason Castro hit a single with one out in the sixth.
The Angels moved to 8-5 with the win, leading the Seattle Mariners by a game atop the AL West.
Tapia leads Blue Jays to win over Red Sox
Raimel Tapia hit his maiden home run since joining from the Colorado Rockies, with a two-run slam in a five-run second inning as the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Boston Red Sox 6-1.
Jose Berrios claimed his first win in three starts this season, giving up just one run and eight hits in six innings, with six strikeouts and a solitary walk.
Meanwhile, Nick Pivetta gave up five runs, seven hits and four walks on the way to being pulled before the fifth inning – a second time in as many starts for the Canadian.
Giants ride Rodon to victory
Carlos Rodon broke a franchise record for the San Francisco Giants in their 5-2 win over the New York Mets.
After signing from the Chicago White Sox, Rodon struck out eight over five scoreless innings and moved to 27 over his first three starts, breaking the previous record of 26 set by Cliff Melton in 1937.
While Joc Pederson, Brandon Crawford and Wilmer Flores helped build an early 3-0 lead, Rodon was the star of the show, limiting the National League East-leading Mets to three hits and two walks on 95 pitches.
The Boston Celtics overturned a 17-point deficit to go 2-0 up over the Brooklyn Nets in their playoff series, winning 114-107 on Wednesday.
The Nets' lack of off-ball movement eventually told against the NBA's best defensive team, as Kevin Durant scored 12 points in the second half but went zero-of-10 from the open floor and the Nets went 11-of-36 collectively.
Kyrie Irving shot one-of-seven after the main break and the Nets' iso-ball provided such a net loss, the second-half collapse came despite the Nets holding advantages in team rebounding, fast-break points and points off turnovers for the game.
Derrick White was the only Celtic not to score in double digits as Ime Udoka went with the eight-man rotation. Even with the relatively low 27 assists for the team, the Celtics still had a +11 margin over the Nets in that category.
Jayson Tatum was the only player on the floor with a double-double, putting up 19 points, 10 assists and six rebounds as the Celtics protected home court.
Sixers inch closer to series sweep
The Philadelphia 76ers took a commanding 3-0 lead in their series with the Toronto Raptors, claiming a 104-101 win in overtime on the road.
After protecting home court, the Sixers also fought their way back from a 17-point deficit to take a huge step towards claiming the first-round series.
With the game tied at 101, Joel Embiid scored the game-winning basket with 0.8 seconds remaining, evading Precious Achiuwa and receiving the inbound to bury a turnaround three-pointer off the catch.
The MVP candidate finished with 33 points on 12-of-20 shooting and 12 rebounds, while James Harden and Tyrese Maxey contributed 19 points each.
It was yet another poor shooting night for Fred VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr, combining for 36 points but off 12-of-32 shooting from the floor, with VanVleet's two-of-10 from beyond the arc particularly damaging.
Bulls split series in Milwaukee
The Chicago Bulls have managed to split the opening two games and can potentially gain home-court advantage in the series after their 114-109 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.
There was a sense the Bulls could take at least one game from Milwaukee after the opener, which saw them almost claim the win despite a horrible shooting night from Nikola Vucevic, DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine.
After a combined 21-of-71 in Game 1, the three Bulls bounced back with a combined 33-of-62 from the floor, while Alex Caruso gave them a reference point with primary ball-handling duties.
The Bucks just could not stop DeRozan getting to his mid-range spots and the five-time All-Star finished with 41 points. Caruso did a bit of everything on both ends with nine points and 10 assists as well as two blocks and two steals.
While Giannis Antetokounmpo put up 33 points, Milwaukee ultimately could not work their way back from a poor first half that opened up an 18-point deficit.
Phoenix Suns top-scorer Devin Booker is reportedly unlikely to play in Game 3 or Game 4 of their first-round series against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Booker, 25, scored 31 points in the first half of Game 2, but tweaked his hamstring with five minutes remaining in the third quarter when trying to contest Jaxson Hayes at the rim, immediately leaving for the locker room.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski is reporting that while the injury is considered "mild" and Booker is not being ruled out for the series, "it appears unlikely he will be able to play in Games 3 and 4".
The injury could have seismic repercussions for the favourites to take out this year's NBA Championship, as what was once considered to be a likely sweep, may now become a case of the Suns being on upset-watch.
From the point Booker was substituted out of Game 2, the Suns were outscored 48-40 in just under 17 minutes, allowing 69 second-half points in the process. For the season, Phoenix only allows opposition teams to score an average of 54 in second-halves.
While the Suns are clearly not a one-man team, if there is one player they could not afford to lose, it is Booker.
In games this season where Booker has played, Phoenix have a record of 56-12 – and winning percentage of .824 – and were just 8-6 in games he missed.
In addition, the Pelicans are a much better side than their 36-46 record indicates.
After starting their season with just one win from their first 14 games, New Orleans went 32-30 from their last 62 contests, banking wins over playoff teams including the Golden State Warriors, Memphis Grizzlies, Utah Jazz, Dallas Mavericks, Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Toronto Raptors – and the Suns.
Since the All-Star break – around the time they added key starter C.J. McCollum through a trade with the Portland Trail Blazers – the Pelicans have been a top-10 offense and a top-10 defense, with a net-rating of 4.7, only slightly behind Phoenix's 6.0 over the same time period.
New Orleans are a team playing their best basketball at the right point of the season, and have a young star looking poised to elevate himself into the conversation of the game's most elite offensive players.
In the Pelicans' four postseason games, including the two play-in fixtures, Brandon Ingram is averaging 28 points, 6.8 rebounds and six assists, including going off for 37 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists in the Game 2 win to even the series.
Health and momentum are now on the Pelicans' side, as they head back to New Orleans for Game 3 and Game 4 in games Booker is unlikely to suit up for.
While the Suns have kept their head above water in games he has missed, they are just 2-5 on the road when Booker has not played, and they will need at least one more win before heading back to Phoenix for Game 5, or else it could shape up as an upset for the ages.
An eighth seed has only defeated a one seed on four occasions in NBA history: the 1993-94 Denver Nuggets defeated the Seattle Supersonics; the 1998-99 New York Knicks toppled the Miami Heat en route to the NBA Finals; the 2006-07 'We Believe' Golden State Warriors against the Dallas Mavericks; and the 2010-11 Memphis Grizzlies beating the San Antonio Spurs.
Luka Doncic has been upgraded to questionable for Game 3 between the Dallas Mavericks and the Utah Jazz on Thursday.
Mavs point guard Doncic missed the first two games of the Western Conference first-round series with a left calf strain sustained in the team's last outing of the regular season.
The Slovenian is reportedly optimistic of making his return in Game 3 or Game 4, which are scheduled to take place on Thursday and Saturday respectively.
The series is tied at 1-1 ahead of the first game at the Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City.
Tyson Fury believes his WBC title clash with Dillian Whyte will be much closer than expected, suggesting the bookmakers' odds in his favour have made him "laugh a bit".
The two Britons are set for a blockbuster heavyweight showdown at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, with Whyte earning a shot at the undefeated Fury after knocking out Alexander Povetkin.
Mandatory challenger Whyte was absent for the pre-fight news conference last month but appeared four days before the bout alongside Fury, who heaped praise on his opponent.
"We're going to treat you all to a hell of a barnstormer," Fury said on Wednesday.
"He's a good fighter. A good, strong, solid man. He has good punch with good power – he's knocked out a lot of men.
"He's definitely a man who needs a lot of respect and that's what I've given him by my training camp. I've trained as hard for Dillian as I have for [Deontay] Wilder, [Wladimir] Klitschko or anybody.
"I see the odds and laugh a bit because they're coming from people who don't know anything about boxing. This is heavyweight boxing. Anyone can win with one punch.
"If I'm not on my A-Game, this guy will knock my head right off my shoulders."
Meanwhile, Whyte refused to explain his lack of attendance at the previous news conference, though he commented "there's two sides to every story" after Fury previously suggested his absence showed he was already "waving the white flag".
Whyte added: "You lot hear one side because they say a lot of things. Because I don't say anything, they say you're scared or hiding."
The commotion of the build-up aside, Whyte expressed his excitement for his shot at the world title in his home city of London.
"It means everything to fight in my own country, and for the world title. Wembley is not too far from where I'm from," he said.
"I'm ready to rock and roll."
Iga Swiatek continued her impressive form as she crushed qualifier Eva Lys at the Stuttgart Open to clinch a 20th successive win and sail into the quarter-finals.
The world number one was far too good for her opponent, as she claimed her 6-1 6-1 victory in slightly over an hour.
Swiatek, 20, last lost a match in February and has not dropped a set since Indian Wells in March, winning each of the last 26 – that is the best such run on the WTA Tour since Serena Williams won 28 successive sets between the 2012 US Open and 2013 Australian Open.
Having won each of the past three events she has entered, Swiatek is the hot favourite to make it four on the bounce in Stuttgart, where she could meet reigning US Open champion Emma Raducanu next in the last eight.
Raducanu, seeded eighth, began her campaign with an emphatic 6-1 6-2 win over Australia's Storm Sanders on Wednesday to set up a second-round clash with Tamara Korpatsch – the winner faces Swiatek.
Sixth seed Karolina Pliskova overcame compatriot Petra Kvitova 6-4 4-6 7-6 (7-5) to progress, while Anett Kontaveit – the fifth favourite – saw off Angelique Kerber 3-6 6-4 6-4.
It was a bad day for some of the higher seeds in the Istanbul Cup, as three of the top five were eliminated.
Favourite Elise Mertens retired from her tournament opener with Rebecca Peterson due to a leg injury, though the Belgian was already 7-5 4-1 down.
Anhelina Kalinina and Jil Teichmann – seeded fourth and fifth, respectively – suffered surprise defeats as well.
Defending champion and second seed Sorana Cirstea appeared in danger of following them out as well, but rallied to defeat Arantxa Rus 3-6 6-1 7-5.
Ajla Tomljanovic also progressed, the Australian enjoying an impressive start against her countrywoman Jaimee Fourlis, winning 6-1 6-3.
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