The Japanese boxing community is in mourning after two fighters died from brain injuries sustained during bouts on the same card in Tokyo.

Hiromasa Urakawa, 28, died on Saturday from injuries suffered in his fight with Yoji Saito on 2 August at Korakuen Hall. He was knocked out in the eighth round and later underwent surgery for a subdural haematoma, a condition in which blood collects between the skull and the brain.

His death came just one day after that of Shigetoshi Kotari, who sustained the same injury during a separate bout on the same bill. Kotari had also undergone emergency surgery but could not be saved.

The World Boxing Organisation said it mourned Urakawa’s passing, describing the news as “heartbreaking” and extending condolences to the families, friends and the Japanese boxing community.

The Japan Boxing Commission has announced that all Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation title bouts will now be contested over 10 rounds instead of 12. An investigation into the two deaths has been launched, and a meeting is planned for September to consider further safety measures.

The tragedies have prompted fresh debate over the dangers of the sport and whether enough is being done to protect fighters in Japan and internationally. Brain injuries remain among the most serious risks in professional boxing, and fatalities, while rare, have often led to changes in rules and medical procedures.

Urakawa is the third high profile boxer to die in 2025 from fight related injuries. In February the Irish fighter John Cooney, also aged 28, died after suffering an intracranial haemorrhage during a bout in Belfast.

The deaths of Urakawa and Kotari mark one of the darkest weeks in Japanese boxing history.

Vinicius Junior’s future at Real Madrid has been thrown into uncertainty after negotiations over a new contract stalled, with reports in Spain claiming the forward has requested a package matching the club-record wages once earned by Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Brazilian international’s current deal runs until 2027 and earlier this year he indicated that discussions over improved terms were under way.

However, the latest round of talks is understood to have broken down, with the player’s representatives seeking a salary of around €30m a year. Such a figure has only previously been reached by Ronaldo during his peak years at the Santiago Bernabéu.

Madrid are said to have offered €20m annually, in line with the earnings of Kylian Mbappé, their current highest-paid player.

Club officials are wary of setting a precedent that could trigger further demands across the squad, mindful of Barcelona’s well-documented financial difficulties after years of soaring wages.

Beyond the financial implications, questions have also been raised over Vinicius’s recent form. Xabi Alonso, who will begin his first season as Madrid manager this month, is reported to have considered leaving the winger out of the starting XI for the Club World Cup semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain before injuries forced a reshuffle.

While Alonso is unlikely to sideline the 25-year-old at the start of the new La Liga season, there are suggestions within the club that Vinicius must raise his level to maintain an undisputed role in the side. Saudi Arabian clubs are monitoring the situation and could revive interest should Madrid decide to cash in.

Vinicius will have an early chance to reassert his value when Madrid open their domestic campaign against Osasuna on 19 August, with his performances potentially shaping the next phase of contract discussions.

Crystal Palace stunned Premier League champions Liverpool to lift the Community Shield for the first time in their history, prevailing 3-2 on penalties after a 2-2 draw in normal time at Wembley.

Dean Henderson emerged as the Eagles’ hero, producing two decisive saves in the shootout from Alexis Mac Allister and Harvey Elliott, while Mohamed Salah fired over the bar. The decisive moment came when substitute Justin Devenny lashed an unstoppable penalty into the roof of Alisson Becker’s net, sealing a famous win for the FA Cup holders.

Liverpool, featuring four debutants, made a blistering start. Hugo Ekitike, one of the summer’s marquee signings, finished clinically into the bottom right corner after collecting Florian Wirtz’s pass, capping a sweeping move that involved nine players and lasted just over a minute.

Palace hit back swiftly when Virgil van Dijk brought down Ismaila Sarr in the area, allowing Jean-Philippe Mateta to send Alisson the wrong way from the spot.

The Reds, playing their first competitive match since the death of Diogo Jota, regained the lead through Jeremie Frimpong. His driven cross-shot looped over Henderson in the 21st minute.

Patrick Vieira’s side improved markedly after the interval. Chris Richards and Eberechi Eze were both denied in quick succession by Alisson, but the pressure told when Sarr drilled home a crisp finish with 13 minutes remaining.

The contest moved straight to penalties, with Salah’s miss setting the tone. Henderson’s double save left new arrival Borna Sosa with the chance to win it, only for the Croatian to strike the bar. Devenny then stepped forward to complete the job in emphatic style.

Chelsea concluded their pre-season in emphatic fashion with a 4-1 win over AC Milan at Stamford Bridge, offering a glimpse of the attacking intent Enzo Maresca will take into his debut Premier League campaign as the club’s manager.

The European champions wasted little time asserting themselves. Within five minutes, captain Reece James’ free-kick was inadvertently turned into his own net by Milan’s Romanian defender Andrei Coubis. Just three minutes later, Pedro Neto’s surging run down the right produced a cross for Joao Pedro to head home, doubling the advantage.

Milan’s evening worsened when Coubis, already reeling from his earlier mistake, was dismissed after 18 minutes for hauling down Joao Pedro as the last defender. Reduced to ten men, the visitors struggled to stem Chelsea’s pressure.

The third came midway through the second half, when new signing Estevao was bundled over inside the area. Substitute Liam Delap stepped up and dispatched the penalty with authority. Milan briefly threatened a fightback when Alexis Saelemaekers threaded a pass to Youssouf Fofana, who beat Robert Sanchez at his near post.

Any hope of a comeback was swiftly extinguished. Delap struck again late on, finishing coolly from the edge of the box after being teed up by Andrey Santos.

The performance was underpinned by vibrant attacking play from Chelsea’s new arrivals. Jamie Gittens, signed from Borussia Dortmund, impressed on the left, registering nine touches in the Milan box — more than any other player. Despite only featuring for the final half-hour, Delap matched Neto for shots on target, scoring with both attempts.

Substitute Kaporal scored twice in the final eleven minutes to inspire Angola to a 2-1 comeback victory over Zambia in Group A of the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship in Nairobi.

The Palancas Negras had trailed for much of the second half but the result propels them to second place in the standings with four points from three matches. Leaders Kenya have seven, while Zambia remain bottom without a point after two games.

The day’s earlier fixture saw co-hosts Kenya edge Morocco 1-0 at Nyayo National Stadium, leaving the group finely poised before the evening kick-off.

The match began cautiously with few clear chances. Zambia’s Kelvin Kampamba forced Angola goalkeeper Neblú into two early saves, while Anderson Cruz and Vidinho went close for the Angolans. The breakthrough came in the 73rd minute when Zambia defender Dominic Chanda reacted quickest to a loose ball after a set piece to fire his side ahead.

It was Zambia’s first goal of the tournament and offered hope of recovery following their opening 3-1 loss to DR Congo.

However, Angola coach Pedro Gonçalves turned to his bench and brought on Kaporal, a move that shifted the momentum. In the 79th minute, he latched on to a pass from Gogoró and finished calmly to level the score. Seven minutes later, the substitute was in the right place again, slamming home the winner from close range.

Zambia’s attempts to respond were frantic but wasteful. Jackson Kampamba shot wide from close range and Chanda’s header in stoppage time went straight to Neblú.

The victory keeps Angola’s hopes alive, while Zambia now face an uphill task to progress from the group.