Defining a Successful 2026 Season For the Miami Dolphins

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For the Miami Dolphins, defining a successful 2026 season is not as simple as looking at the win-loss record. Miami is entering a new era under Jeff Hafley, and the biggest question facing the franchise goes far beyond whether it can compete on Sundays.

The only true answer is whether the Dolphins finally figure out the most important position in sports: quarterback.

Everything else comes after that.

Is QB1 in Miami?

The biggest objective for Miami in 2026 should be determining whether it has its long-term answer at quarterback. If the Dolphins can confidently walk away from this season believing they have QB1, the year should be considered a success regardless of the final record.

Ideally, Miami finds that answer while still landing a top-five pick. That would give the franchise an opportunity to evaluate its quarterback situation without sacrificing the chance to add another elite prospect to the roster.

If Miami does not have its quarterback, the 2027 offseason becomes about finding one, in which case they would likely draft one with this selection.

Who Becomes Part of the Hafley Build?

Jeff Hafley is tasked with establishing a new identity in Miami, one built on accountability, toughness, and discipline. 2026 should provide the first real look at which players fit that vision.

Not every player currently on the roster will be part of the long-term plan. Some will emerge as foundational pieces, while others will prove they are better suited as short-term contributors.

The Dolphins need to identify those building blocks.

That includes finding players who can become leaders in the locker room. Miami has lacked stability and consistency for far too long, and this season should reveal who is willing to take ownership of the team and become the faces of the Hafley era.

Perhaps the biggest non-quarterback question is whether Miami can finally establish a foundation along the offensive line.

For years, the Dolphins have struggled to create consistency up front. A successful 2026 season should provide evidence that the team is finally building an offensive line capable of protecting its quarterback and creating opportunities in the run game. Miami already has one stable long term piece in Aaron Brewer, Patrick Paul’s rookie year looked promising, and Kaydyn Proctor and Jonah Savaiinea have has a good camp. Austin Jackson is potentially the odd man out at right tackle.

The offense does not need to become one of the league’s best overnight. It needs to become structurally sound.

Two receivers emerging as legitimate long-term pieces would also be a major win for the offense and give Willis a foundation to work with, enabling his full development.

Defensive Players Emerging

On defense, Miami needs at least three players to emerge as legitimate pieces of the future. They already have two key pieces in Jordyn Brooks and Zach Sieler, but them alone is simply not enough.

The Dolphins will need some young talent to begin separating themselves from the rest, and preferably across each room. Miami has two rookies who look to make an impact right away in Chris Johnson and Jacob Rodriguez, while players like Chop Robinson, Kenneth Grant, and more need to take that next step.

That is ultimately what this 2026 season should be about, finding out who belongs.

If Miami can identify its quarterback, build a competent offensive line, develop two receivers, establish leaders and see at least three defensive players emerge, then 2026 can be viewed as a successful season.

The wins will matter, but the real success will be knowing exactly what Miami has and what it still needs heading into 2027.

Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Enes Freedom gets ejected from Sky- Fever game, makes fool of himself

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Unfortunately, the WNBA is the target of malicious creeps who claim to protect women’s interests, but are instead, a vile and comically stupid lot. The latest fabricated crisis is that trans women could play and before that, it was the league that was too rough with their favorite player, Caitlin Clark.

 

Ever see someone embarrass themselves so badly, it was obvious there was nobody in their life who cares for them to say “stay out of trouble”? That’s Enes Know-Nothing Freedom, a cautionary tale of a narcissist needing professional help. 

 

He got himself ejected on Sunday for stepping onto the baseline of the Indiana Fever’s game in Chicago against the Sky, because he couldn’t take being yelled at by Natasha Cloud. He showed up to agitate the WNBA community, thinking the attention he gets from haters is genuine — like the halfwit convinced a stripper is fond of him. He fails to understand that if he wasn’t their dupe, they’d likely want him deported.

 

No one needs a crystal ball to know he’s going to go running back to the platforms that amplify his bigotry, while painting himself as a victim.

 

Trans people are the closest comparison there is to Jewish people before they were murdered in the Holocaust since they have been banned from public spaces in many states, too. Particularly, their bathroom of choice. 

 

If Kanter were a real human rights advocate, which he claims to be, or had any understanding of history, he’d know that it makes him a cruel, pathetic, donkey to target a small, vulnerable community.

 

Despite having a physical advantage over many hoopers, logging 11 seasons in the NBA and being passed around like a joint, he has no legacy. It’s a miracle he lasted that long, considering he could only play in one defensive coverage, so opponents would hunt him down because he was always a lightweight on the floor. He’s listed at 6’ 10, 250 pounds, but has as much ferocity as a golden retriever.  

 

Kanter recently made a video saying he would declare for the W’s draft, but he’s lucky no one would select him. He’d get worked just as badly by the ladies, especially if they wanted to make an example out of him. He’d never mentally recover, apart from what’s going on now. 

 

His life has come to this — stealing headlines from women plus being laughed at and despised. He made himself the story when the Fever’s victory, led by Clark’s 37 points, which included eight trifectas, with 10 dimes, should have been the headliner. 

 

If there’s a way for the WNBA to ban him from its properties, it should do so swiftly. No one who wants to go watch a game should have to see his ugly mug nor hear his psychobabble.



Hamzah Sheeraz accuses the WBO of corruption and claps back at Edgar Berglanga

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WBO super middleweight champ, Hamzah Sheeraz, is not thrilled about the undefeated Kazakh, Janibek Alimkhanuly being his mandatory challenger. The 27 year-old Englishman with Pakistani and Indian descent has fought twice in 2026, with a second-round knockout victory and a 12-round majority decision. He said on the Ariel Helwani Show that he wants one more before the year is up in November or December, but he doesn’t think those who have never fought at the division and have popped dirty for PEDs deserve the opportunity to face him. He accused the sanctioning body of corruption.

 

Helwani asked him about the corruption he mentioned. Sheeraz said, “What the WBO have done here. To me, it’s corrupt, and I’ll say it as it is. I feel like it’s all based off relationships… I’m talking from my moral perspective. I want to give a message to the youngsters out there that even though it’s being deemed OK, it’s ain’t.”

 

Alimkhanuly (17-0) is a southpaw who was last in the ring in April 2025 and is a former champ at a 160-pounds. His failed test on Nov. 15 got his middleweight (160 pounds) title fight with Erislandy Lara tossed. The IBF vacated his belt because of his failed drug test plus the suspension wouldn’t let him fulfill his mandatory defense, and the WBO never stripped him. Now he’s back, subtweeting Sheeraz and eager to prove that banned substances had nothing to do with his 12 KOs.

 

Notably, each of his posts has comments disabled. The last one that allowed public comment was on Dec. 2, 2025, in which he wrote, “I have always supported clean sport you know this well. I was surprised when I read the news. VADA took the first test and said everything was clean. I have not made any changes to my vitamins. I don’t know what happened with the second test, so l requested a retest.”

 

Sheeraz’s frustration is understandable. People die yearly in this business, so dirty fighters should be sanctioned more harshly when there is a failed test. But, Alimkhanuly has served his suspension, and in this world, that’s enough for much of the public and big decision-makers to put someone back in the mix.

 

In 2026, the best big-name fights have been Naoya Inoue v. Junto Nakatani, Jaron Boots Ennis v. Xander Zayas and Shakur Stevenson v. Teófimo López. On top of that, there have been other great ones such as Dalton Smith’s fifth-round technical knockout against Subriel Matias, Brandon Figueroa’s 12-roundth stoppage versus Nick Ball, and recently Mark Chamberlain’s 10th-round TKO against Pierce O’Leary. 

 

Still, too many of the best fights are not made and some of the top pugilists stay out of the ring too long. It hasn’t been a terrible year of boxing, but it has been a bit underwhelming. Yet stylistically, a Sheeraz v. Alimkhanuly matchup, if it gets made, has a high chance of producing lots of action and would be significant for each of their legacies. Additionally, if the distribution was handled correctly, putting it on TNT Sports along with DAZN (regular subscription), instead of making it a Pay-Per-View, it could be the type of match that starts turning more casual fans into dedicated ones. 

 

In matters of lesser consequence, Sheeraz responded to Edgar Berlanga’s easy work comment with a story about being physically affected the day he KOed him. According to Sheeraz, he had to go through medicals a second time because his paperwork was lost, so his eyes were dilated in the process at 1 PM. “It just goes to show, if anything, he was easy work.”

 

It shouldn’t be this hard to get Shakur Stevenson another good fight

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Shakur Stevenson is fifth on the ESPN Pound-for-Pound list and third for Ring Magazine’s. He hasn’t fought since Jan. 31, when he made easy work of Teófimo López in a unanimous decision at Madison Square Garden for the super lightweight WBO belt. A fight with Devin Haney doesn’t appear like it will happen anytime soon at welterweight, but hopefully both parties circle back in the future.

 

If they face off relatively soon while both are undefeated and outclassing opponents, it will easily be one of the biggest fights of the year, if not the top one because of their fame and prowess. Don’t forget that Haney told him, “I’m number one,” the night he defeated Vasiliy Lomachencko, becoming the undisputed lightweight champ in May 2023, when Stevenson was brought into the ring. 

 

Stevenson, who has only fought once at 140 pounds, is not comfortable going up to 147 yet. In fairness to him, neither is Keyshawn Davis, who has only boxed twice at super lightweight with wins over Jamaine Ortiz (TKO) and Nahir Albright. 

 

But action must be taken soon so all the good names don’t make commitments, leaving him further frustrated and waiting. Consider that Davis, who recently ducked Haney after going to purse bid, is off the table because of their close friendship. It’s understandable to be picky when someone is at his level, but Stevenson hasn’t earned the right to be Floyd Mayweather Jr., either.

 

He has shown no public interest in a fight with José “Rayo” Valenzuela (16-3), who recently knocked out Edwin De Los Santos (17-3) in two rounds on June 28 as payback for his first career defeat — a third-round KO — nearly four years ago.  Notably, Stevenson went to a unanimous decision against De Los Santos in November 2023. The reason “Rayo” doesn’t appeal to him is because he was beat by WBA titlist Gary Antuanne Russell in March 2025, but he is 2-0 since.

 

He also talked about moving back to lightweight for a potential fight against Lamont Roach Jr., but any chance of that fell apart thanks to William Zepeda defeating the D.C. native on Aug. 1. Stevenson has not called for a rematch with Zepeda, who he widely beat in July 2025, yet it was still highly entertaining.

 

Nor has expressed further interest in stepping into the ring with WBC junior lightweight champ, O’Shaquie Foster (25-3), at 135 pounds, despite the smaller man appearing to want it badly. Stevenson thinks he won’t get credit for beating him, but he was present in the ring moments after Foster’s victory over Raymond Ford on May 30, and both of them got into a heated verbal exchange, which included Stevenson calling him a “bum” and a “bitch.”

 

Perhaps there’s an option if the slick Gary Antuanne Russell doesn’t fight Oscar Duarte, which Dan Rafael of Fight Freaks Unite reported is being discussed. Or maybe the Englishman, Dalton Smith, who smoked Subriel Matías (TKO) in five rounds on Jan. 10 for the WBC strap, could make for a suitable opponent. 

 

At this point, Stevenson is on the verge of becoming a world-wide star as the potential next face of boxing, but it shouldn’t be this hard to get him a gig.

Quick Hits:

 

  • Some guys in this era should fight each other six times as Sugar Ray Robinson and Jake LaMotta did. Of course, things can change in the meantime, but wouldn’t it be great between Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney, considering their seething rivalry? I’m not sure anyone believes Garcia saying it won’t happen. Additionally, Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder are diminished forms of themselves, and I wouldn’t mind a fourth duel. 

 

  • Tuesday is the 55th anniversary of Earnie Shavers starching Richard Pittman in round one in Paradise, Nevada. After that fight, the man who Muhammad Ali said hit him hardest, had a record of 29-2.



WBA welterweight champ, Rolly Romero, spent Friday giving back to the community ahead of his title defense against Teófimo López on Aug. 22

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Rolando “Rolly” Romero will defend his WBA welterweight title on pay-per-view against his old pal Teófimo López on Aug. 22 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, and in the meantime, he’s prepping and giving back to the community. 

 

Romero was at John S. Park Elementary in Las Vegas on Friday, where he once attended, and he was surprised that more kids showed up than he expected. He hung out with students, hooked them up with backpacks, signed photos and some got tickets for the fight against López. 

 

Still, the coolest part for those kids must have been doing the face-off with Romero, who became champion on May 2, 2025, after upsetting Ryan Garcia for the vacant strap. He will be making his first defense of the welterweight belt against López, who will be taking his initial fight at 147 pounds on Aug. 22, and is the more talented pugilist.

 

Yet, López’s power didn’t even go up with him to super lightweight (140 pounds), and Romero, the naturally bigger man, has developed extra skills and is the most dangerous version of himself. Romero’s record is 17-2, with knockout losses against Gervonta Davis (135 pounds) and Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz (140 pounds). Despite only two wins in the 28 months that followed the Cruz defeat, Romero has come a long way on his spiritual journey and his confidence appears to be unshakable.

 

Making welterweight is not as taxing as being in shape for a lightweight or super lightweight contest, so having the added fuel suits Romero. On top of that, he was sharp in his last fight against Garcia, making him go into a shell after the knockdown in round two. If he is the same guy, López will have to do something impressive, perhaps tagging and slipping off the back foot, but he’ll need to land some combos to keep the pressure off.

 

López (22-2) is coming off his Jan. 31 loss against Shakur Stevenson and it shouldn’t be weighed too much against him because that’s what happens when facing off with a prodigy. Nonetheless, he is desperate to prove he’s still among the elite. His ultimate career achievement was defeating Vasiliy Lomachenko almost six years ago, but then his lowest moment came in his next fight — a split decision loss against George Kambosos Jr. — while dealing with severe breathing issues, according to a doctor who checked him out. 

 

Since his first loss, he’s 6-1, looking sensational on some nights and then just like a good fighter on others. 

 

A loss for Romero or López would only put their careers in danger if one suffers catastrophic damage or if somehow, their skills have fallen off a cliff. It’s going to sting bitterly for one of them to receive another blemish on their record, but they deserve respect for taking the risk because it’s not an easy one for either of them.

 

Since they are friends, and have taken verbal shots at Stevenson and his close friend Keyshawn Davis, the pressure is on Romero and López to deliver an entertaining fight. Goodness willing the public gets it because $79.99 through Amazon or DAZN is a pretty penny to watch boxing at home. 

 

 



William Zepeda becomes WBC lightweight champ in win over Lamont Roach and more

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William Zepeda is the new WBC lightweight champ after beating Lamont Roach by unanimous decision in Paradise, Nevada. The Mexican southpaw reached the mountaintop nearly 13 months after suffering his lone defeat to Shakur Stevenson in New York City, and he dedicated his victory to his family.

 

He doesn’t care when or where he fights next, but he wants to be the undisputed champion, collecting the remaining WBA, WBO and IBF belts. 

 

The judges scored his victory 117-111, 117-111, 118-110, and through 12 rounds, it was as if Roach was standing in an elevator in front of a machine gun.

 

Zepeda had no respect for the power coming back at him and walked down the counter puncher most of the match. The main event also had open scoring, and Roach picked it up in the last four rounds, but it wasn’t enough to catch up on the cards. 

 

The tide shifted early in Zepeda’s favor as his pressure dictated terms, and he kept looping and piercing shots through the guard while changing levels. Additionally, it was as if a V-12 engine was strapped to his back and his relentless attack had Roach taking the most fire he ever had.

 

That type of persistence was wearing down Roach as if he were caught in a horrifying thrust of waves, preventing him from reaching the surface. Much of it happened on the ropes. 

 

It was Roach’s first defeat since Nov. 9, 2019, and he had been 6-0-2 after that, with controversial draws to Gervonta Davis and Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz. He was gracious and humble in defeat in his post-fight interview, and he later posted on X (formerly Twitter), “Congrats to Zepeda, was the better man tonight! But tonight only… be right back. Thanks for the love and support.”

 

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Raymond Muratalla improved to 24-0, 17 KOs, in his IBF lightweight championship defense, which was also his second-straight victory against an Olympic gold medalist. Robson Coneição, the Brazilian technician, who was on a two-fight win streak after losing his WBC super featherweight title to O’Shaquie in November 2024, was outclassed, 118-110, 119-109 and 119-109. Still, Muratalla was displeased with his performance and said he is moving up to super lightweight (140 pounds) after the fight as he revealed he had some trouble making weight.  He said, “I think I’ll feel a lot better and a lot stronger at 140.”

 

—

Raul Curiel was off by 1.2 pounds from the welterweight limit (147), and underwhelmed in the first half of his unanimous decision win. Curiel spent a good chunk of the fight coming after Quinton Randall, yet struggled at times to close the distance against a lengthy jab. As the fight went on, Randall developed more confidence and had moments exchanging in the middle, but sticking with that strategy was a mistake. Curiel was the more dangerous man in that position, and he stepped on the gas in the second half of the fight, putting his opponent back on the bike to remain undefeated (18-0-1).

 

—

 

Super welterweight Charles Conwell had been on the shelf for 469 days after being upset by Jorge Garcia Perez, and he got back in the saddle, stopping Paul Kroll in round nine of 10. It was the first fight of the main card and despite Kroll having only fought twice prior in 31 months, it was a statement performance for Conwell, who was desperately looking to show he is one of the elites at 154 pounds. 

 

“I’m back. I’m a player in the division, and I’m ready and I’m excited to get to the top,” Conwell said in his post-fight interview. 

 

Conwell was the slicker man, dodging punches and backing up Kroll to the ropes, where major punches were inflicted. The latter was as tough as a centuries old tree trunk entrenched in the dirt, and Conwell was able to wound him with a left hook below the ribs, and pressed on with with unforgiving shots from both sides. 

 

The fight was one-sided, and Kroll even suffered his first career knockdown as they exchanged left hooks, but he got clipped with the worst one and was sent crashing into the ropes. It was enough for the count and it may have saved him from Conwell going berserk on him.

 

—-

 

The upset of the night had Oscar De La Hoya rushing to the corner to comfort his prospect and it’s the perfect example of why you shouldn’t skip the prelims. 

 

The Golden Boy Promotions chief talked up 17-year-old, super lightweight Dylan Capetillo as the next best thing since sliced bread and the kid got knocked out by Juan Becerril’s crushing left hook. The doctors had checked out Becerril at the start of the round because he was getting battered and abused, and had been dropped by a left hook himself in round two. 

 

If one would have compared physiques before the fight, it would have been reasonable to presume that Becerril’s softer body would crumble against Capetillo’s ordnance. But looks are deceiving, and Becerril dropped him from a highly touted prospect to someone looking for redemption. 

 

De La Hoya could be seen from his seat stunned before he made his way to the corner and once there, he looked like he’d seen an apparition. Becerril celebrated by himself in the middle of the ring because his corner was working another fight, and the broadcast mentioned that he had to show his credential everywhere he went due to nobody knowing who he was in the week leading up to the fight.



Mateo’s Hoop Diary: What’s next for the Miami Heat?

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Considering how much LeBron James doesn’t like Boston, it’s a surprise he chose Philadelphia, even if he’s not going to live there. Never forget when comedian Bill Burr joked how they honored Rocky Balboa, a fictional boxer before Joe Frazier, who was the first to defeat Muhammad Ali. Time will tell how much mercenary LeBron will be appreciated if he helps deliver a championship, but none of that would have been questioned in Miami. 

 

The Miami Heat could have used one of the best bargains in NBA history — an all-star caliber player making $4 million annually — but they will be fine.   This may stop Pat Riley from retiring at some point, like James going to Cleveland kept him in the game 12 years ago, yet ‘ol ‘Bron’s legacy play should be respected. While two dynamic guards like Tyrese Maxey and V.J. Edgecombe plus a two-way star in Jaylen Brown are excellent fits, Joel Embiid’s diminished defensive ability is not next to James.

 

As for the Heat, Erik Spoelstra is the top coach and Giannis Antetokounmpo is the best player in the Eastern Conference. They also had the best tools to hide James defensively next to the versatility of Bam Adebayo, Davion Mitchell Pella Larsson and Andrew Wiggins. 

 

Furthermore, the priority doesn’t change: capturing a top-four seed after four-straight years in the Play-In Tournament. With Giannis being the focal point, it’s expected that they secure home-court advantage, at least through round one. As things stand on paper, the East’s top teams are the New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, Heat and Indiana Pacers. 

 

The four top teams each have a compelling storyline as well. In New York’s case, holding the throne is always appealing. Philadelphia hasn’t won a title since 1983, and now James will try to help a fourth team reach the mountain top. The Heat went all in. Plus the Pacers probably would’ve won the 2025 NBA championship if not for Tyrese Haliburton popping his Achilles tendon, and he’s back next season.

 

After three seasons of directionless hoops following an unlikely Finals trip led by Jimmy Butler and Adebayo, the expectations are Finals or bust in 2026-27, with a championship before their build burns out. The supporting cast is superior now and Giannis is a better player than Butler. 

 

Nonetheless, the East’s next six teams, in no order, like the Detroit Pistons, Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics, Orlando Magic, Atlanta Hawks and Toronto Raptors, are still very good, ensuring the deepest the conference has been in a long time. All these quality teams also make it necessary for the Heat’s training and medical staff to keep following up on what they were doing, as seven players logged at least 70 games last season. Only four did it in 2024-25 and just two players the year before that. 

 

Regardless of missing out on James, the Heat’s off-season still gets an A, and they’ve become a relevant team again. The honeymoon phase is going smoothly, but it needs to continue, at least through the playoffs. 

 

Marlins bullpen has gone from strength to weakness

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After a 5-3 loss to the San Diego Padres on Sunday, the Miami Marlins made franchise history with their 12th consecutive defeat.

The Marlins quickly went from firmly in the playoff picture to three games out, with five teams — including San Diego — to chase.

The Los Angeles Dodgers suffered an 11-game slide before finishing the 2017 season in the World Series. Miami is only one win from shifting back to a playoff contender hovering over .500.

The biggest problem for the Marlins recently has been their bullpen. Miami has been outscored 24-10 after the seventh inning during their losing streak. Two of their three losses against Milwaukee were walk-offs.

The Marlins were leading 3-1 in the eighth inning until home runs from Manny Machado and Jackson Merrill highlighted a 4-run Padres rally. That’s the issue with overusing the bullpen. While every other reliever went through their innings without a run allowed, it only takes one pitcher to get ambushed by opposing bats and change the game.

It was Lake Bachar on Sunday, but it was Tyler Zuber on Friday, when he gave up a go-ahead two-run homer in a 4-2 loss.

Overall, the bullpen has put up a 5.45 ERA since July 10, which is the fifth highest in baseball.

Fairbanks is solid at home, but when he’s on the mound anywhere but loanDepot park, his ERA jumps up to over 13.00. And this is the closer commanding the most money the Marlins ever spent on a relief pitcher in franchise history.

An argument can be made Fairbanks should’ve been on the mound in the eighth against San Diego’s heavy hitters instead of Bachar. Marlins manager Clayton McCullough indicated after the game he will continue to send out a variety of relievers in high-leverage situations, saying, “who you see pitch in the eighth inning one day might pitch in the sixth inning.”

“I’ve been using Pete in the ninth inning,” McCullough said. “Right now, [going to] continue to do that, and again, like Lake or whoever else we have down there, feel terrific about that. When you talk about [matching up with] parts of the order, but OK, if you get through the eighth, like someone’s going to throw the ninth, too. I think I just have to — and will — remain very confident in the group we have, and you know what? Right now, we’re just not getting it done.”

The Marlins’ bullpen hasn’t been the same since Tyler Phillips went from being their most reliable reliever to a solid starting pitcher. The unit is also suffering injuries in the form of Andrew Nardi and Anthony Bender. They almost lost reliever Michael Petersen (2.84 ERA) too. He left Sunday’s game with a right forearm contusion after being struck by a batted ball, but fortunately the X-rays were negative.

The Marlins will send Phillips (2-5, 3.52 ERA) on the mound against the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday.

LeBron James’ best fit is in Miami with the Heat

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There’s one big domino left to fall in free agency and it could potentially have a huge impact on next season: LeBron James, who will be going into year 24. 

 

The Miami Heat remain his top fit, giving him the highest odds to claim a fifth NBA championship. They have the best player in the conference, one of the top coaches in the game, who he won two consecutive titles with and excellent defenders, creating the infrastructure to ensure he isn’t wasted during the regular season.

 

James would give them playmaking, which is what the team mostly needs. He would presumably be a starter there, but think of how much of a mismatch it would be if he was feasting against second stringers.  Keep in mind that the best five don’t always start, as Boston Celtics teams with John Havlicek and later Kevin McHale proved, and more recently, the Golden State Warriors with Andre Iguodala.

 

For now, many Heat fans are like Telemachus, praying for his father to come home but it’s ’Bron, after 12 years. There’s always been unfinished business and now is the right time for a reunion.

 

Forget Cleveland. The main guys there haven’t won anything at this level, and playing with James Harden, who will presumably return to Cleveland, sounds like a disaster waiting to happen since ge always goes missing in important playoff games, and Evan Mobley still has some growing up to do on the court.

 

Philly would be a legacy play since they have only won championships in 1955, 1967 and 1983. The last time they won, back-to-back MVPs Moses Malone and Julius Erving played there, and they also haven’t been to the Finals since 2001. Making them legitimate again would be enormous for his legacy, but it would be too hard to do, considering how Joel Embiid can only play one defensive scheme (drop coverage) and James needs his big man to play closer to the level of the screen. 

 

Golden State is a terrible idea because Jimmy Butler is coming back from a torn ACL and Stephen Curry is slowing down, so James would be working too hard before April. Veterans are needed to win, but hoops is still a relatively young person’s game, so bringing in James is desperation to keep the Curry era going. 

 

His super agent, Rich Paul, says he won’t be rushed, and James is milking every second of the attention he’s getting. This even comes at the expense of the league because Adam Silver wants to know where he’s going before wrapping up the national TV order for next season. Amusingly, James still holds that much influences, and hopefully, he’ll decide in the next couple of days instead of making the public wait a fortnight.



Conor Benn says he’s “more Mexican” than Ryan Garcia ahead of their championship fight in September

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Another great fight is on the horizon with Ryan Garcia defending his WBC welterweight championship against Conor Benn. The great Timothy Bradley said as a guest on Inside the Ring that any match in boxing can be made, and he’s right — it’s about how badly the fighters want it. 

 

Garcia’s title defense will be at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Sept. 12. Both guys have questionable reputations since failing two drug tests four years ago (Benn) and two over two years (Garcia). They still need redemption so observers don’t impeach the credibility of their other wins.

 

Garcia is a highly talented, quick and powerful pugilist. In his last five fights, he has won two, lost twice against Gervonta Davis and Rolly Romero, and had one no contest versus Devin Haney. Benn is a marauder who has won four of his last five, and was defeated by Chris Eubank Jr. in the first encounter in April 2025 before beating him in the rematch nearly seven months later. 

 

The initial press conference for Garcia- Benn was on Saturday and they didn’t want to wait eight weeks, having to be held back on the stage after hurling insults. For now, it’s possible that Benn has the mental edge because he’s touching on a delicate matter: Garcia being a Latino who can’t speak Spanish — while Benn can. 

 

The insults in Spanish, from the Brit, were vicious and loud, which included that Garcia has a smaller pair and the harsh, untrue claim that the champ is less of a Mexican than him. Then the champ awkwardly kept going on in English. Of course, many Latinos will be on Garcia’s side, but this will be the lasting image for many older ones who don’t have respect for members of their community unable to understand them. 

 

Part of the Latino experience growing up is many older people wanting to speak with you in the native tongue. The look of disappointment on them when they can’t speak to a youngster because the latter wasn’t taught how is indelible. 

 

Think of how Julio César Chávez’s implying Oscar De La Hoya wasn’t a real Mexican, when the latter spoke Spanish, was hurtful 31 years ago. No doubt, it motivated De La Hoya to wipe out Chávez twice, yet it remains to be seen if Garcia is as mentally strong as De La Hoya, his co-promoter, was. 

 

The last time Garcia fought, he took Mario Barrios’ title on Feb. 21, and it was a shutout. In the past, he has been known for his left hook being the kill shot, but his hard right was the best it ever looked and it was a comparable weapon that even dropped Barrios a minute into round one. 

 

The latest version of Garcia wasn’t just clobbering him from all angles, but he arrived in excellent shape and his gas tank never went low, which was different from when he fought in spurts against Haney. The fight against Haney was originally ruled a win for Garcia on April 20, 2024, but he popped dirty for PEDs. 

 

Benn’s last outing was not sharp, failing to take out a banged up Regis Prograis on April 11. Some might speculate that he didn’t have the same motivation for Prograis as he did for Eubank, a sworn enemy, because it wasn’t the same level of opponent, but if that’s true, they wouldn’t say good things about his professionalism, even if many others have done this, too.  

 

Yet, judging by the hostility between him and Garcia, one would wager that the version of Benn going into this fight is more similar to the one that saw Eubank. If there’s one thing he does like his father, Nigel Benn, the two-weight world champ, it’s exhibit his ferocity. On top of that, the younger Benn, who is coming back down to welterweight after fighting last at middleweight and at a 150-pound catchweight, is so tough that he chews on rocks.

 

Additionally, one potential motivating factor for the challenger is that he is a black man, and Garcia feigned accountability for his racist trash by citing substance abuse problems two years ago. His parents said it was a mental health concern, and Garcia later checked into rehab. Still, this will be his first time stepping into the ring with a black man since.

 

Benn’s job is now exponentially harder, since he’ll be trying to evade left hooks and a crushing right that Barrios couldn’t escape. He won’t be the favorite, but if he can get out of the way with his upper body movement from the worst of it, to make Garcia back up, then things could get interesting. 

 

Garcia last showed against Barrios that he can land at will as if he were in target practice if someone is going to chase him without cutting off the ring. Still, as would be true against many fighters, getting him to go backward is preferable to being walked down. 

 

A few months ago, Garcia- Benn may not have been appealing, but the tension that’s risen to the surface has made this a must-watch fade. Benn has never been the champion, and he finally got his chance to seize the crown, and Garcia is out to further prove his talent plus skills match his popularity.