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Middleweight world titleholder Billy Joe Saunders will make his first defense against an opponent to be determined on Oct. 22 at Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff, Wales, promoter Frank Warren announced.Saunders (23-0, 12 KOs), 27, of England, who previously avoided a world title unification fight with Gennady Golovkin despite calling him out and then being offered a career payday to fight him, will be fighting for the first time since December, when he eked out a majority decision to win the title from Irelands Andy Lee.Saunders was supposed to make his initial defense against Ukraines Max Bursak on April 30 in London, but pulled out after suffering a left hand injury. Saunders took the fight with Bursak after rejecting the offer to unify with Golovkin on April 23.Then Saunders was supposed to make his first defense on the Tyson Fury-Wladimir Klitschko II undercard on Oct. 29 in Manchester, England, but he had his fight moved up one week when the heavyweight championship rematch was canceled last week due to Furys withdrawal.I cant wait to shake the cobwebs off and get back in there where I belong. Its been too long, Saunders said. Every fight is dangerous at this stage so it is important that I dont overlook or underestimate anybody. I have worked long and hard to get where I am today and there is some huge fights out there for me. I need to take care of this fight and then Ill move on to bigger and better things. Im fully focused on the job in hand and putting on an explosive performance down in Cardiff. I cant wait to get this show on the road.Also on the card, Englands Tommy Langford had hoped to challenge middleweight contender Chris Eubank Jr. for the British title but Eubank, who also dodged Golovkin despite calling him out and being offered a career-high payday to fight him earlier this month in London, pulled out, claiming an elbow injury.So with Eubank out of the fight and vacating the British title, Langford (17-0, 6 KOs), 27, the Commonwealth champion, will instead take on Sam Sheedy (17-1, 4 KOs), 28, for the vacant British title, promoter Frank Warren announced Wednesday.This is a great fight for me, Langford said. Sam is a good boxer and has one of those styles that can make life very difficult for anyone so I will have to get it right on the night. Hes only lost once in a fight that he should have won. Ive watched it back and it was an unlucky decision against Navid Mansouri. He poses a lot of threats but I am very confident I can get in there and get the job done.Having the opportunity to fight for the British title is phenomenal for me and its a great chance to propel myself on to that next level. This is a chance to put my name in the history books and I wont be letting it pass.Englands Paul Butter (21-1, 12 KOs), the 27-year-old former bantamweight world titlist, will also fight on the card in a scheduled 10-round bout against an opponent to be determined. The fight will be Butlers first since linking up with top British trainer Joe Gallagher, who was named 2015 trainer of the year by Ring magazine.Im really looking forward to working alongside Joe, Butler said. Weve already been working on a few little things in the gym that will improve me. Hes a great professional and has watched all of my previous fights to pinpoint areas in which I can improve.Just being around the lads in the gym and seeing the big fights that theyre involved in is good to be around and it gives you a real push. Ive known most of the guys in the gym since I was an amateur. Working alongside them and watching them train is good, you pick up new things such as different shot selections every day.Butler has won four fights in a row since dropping down to junior bantamweight and getting stopped by Zolani Tete in the eighth round of a March 2015 world title bout in Liverpool, England.British junior middleweight champion Liam Williams (15-0-1, 10 KOs), 24, of Wales, headlines the card in a defense against Londons 28-year-old Ahmet Patterson (17-0, 7 KOs).Jonathan Schoop Jersey . 24 Baylor in a Big 12 clash between teams trending in opposite directions. Andrew Wiggins made 10-of-12 from the foul line and scored 17 for Kansas (14-4, 5-0 Big 12), which capped a stretch of four straight games against ranked opponents unscathed. Minnesota Twins Gear . 31, the CFL club announced Monday. The team also has yet to decide on the future of Doug Berry, who began the season as a consultant to the head coach but took over the offensive co-ordinators duties in July. https://www.cheaptwins.com/312t-zack-littell-jersey-twins.html . The Montreal Canadiens announced on Friday that the veteran forward will return to the teams line-up on Saturday night when the Habs visit the Nashville Predators. Joe Mauer Twins Jersey . -- The goal posts lying flat on the field, Arizonas fans lingered on the field, congregating around the locker room entrance nearly 30 minutes after rushing out of the stands. Devin Smeltzer Jersey . The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling "puts an end to my dreams of being a top player," the 27-year-old Troicki said in a statement. "I worked my entire life for it, and it has been taken away from me in one afternoon by a doctor I didnt know," said Troicki, whose ranking peaked at No.TORONTO - A week ago Masai Ujiri stood in front of local media, while addressing the highly anticipated trade of Andrea Bargnani, and promised a change in culture. No longer would the Raptors be called "soft" or "pushovers" he proclaimed. The addition of high-energy forward Tyler Hansbrough, made official on Monday, figures to go a long way in delivering on that promise. "I think I can bring a lot of toughness to the team, a lot of hard work and effort," said Hansbrough, who was introduced at the Air Canada Centre after signing a multi-year deal to join the Raptors. "I bring some leadership, just [in] the way I approach the game and hopefully itll rub off." At 27, Hansbrough is a young veteran in the NBA -- having spent his first four seasons with the Pacers -- but is slated to become one of the elder statesmen on a Toronto team that featured eight players under 26-years-old last season. Hansbrough, drafted 13th overall out of North Carolina in 2009, describes himself as a quiet leader, more of the lead by example type, but thats exactly the sort of influence Ujiri is hoping the former Pacer has on his new teammates. "He plays under control but hes tough," said Ujiri. "Hes going to knock you down. I think we need a little bit of that and were excited to have him." Hansbrough comes to Toronto with the reputation of a hard-nosed defender and a workhorse on the boards. The type of player who takes pride in getting under the opponents skin, whether hes willing to admit to it or not. A soldier everyone wants to go to war with but no one wants to battle against. Among other things, the former Tar Heel specializes in keeping the ball alive and fighting for extra possessions, something the Raptors could have used more of in 2012-13. Hansbrough was 17th in offensive rebounds per 36 minutes (minimum 800 total minutes played) last year, a category the Raptors struggled in, finishing seventh from the bottom. "Its something Ive done my whole life," Hansbrough said. "Its part of my game. Obviously I am gritty, I bring a lot of toughness but I can do more than just bring that." Certain areas of his offensive game have developed, as Ujiri pointed out on Monday, but in many ways hes still limited with the ball in his hands. Hansbrough averaged a career-low 7.0 points in fewer than 17 minutes per contest with the Pacers last year. One area in which he excels is getting to the free-throw line. He was fifth in attempts per 36 minutes last season, ranking just below the likes of James Harden, Dwight Howard, Kevin Durant and Kevin Love. In terms of the culture change, Hansbrough wont have to go at it alone, joining a frontcourt rotation that already consists of the similarly energetic Amir Johnson in addition to sophomores Jonas Valanciunas and Quincy Acy. Although Johnson and Valanciunas have both proven capable of stepping out and knocking down the mid-range jumper, spacing the floor may be a challenge with any combination of that group on the floor together (Note: Dwane Casey could opt for a smaller lineup on occasion, moving Rudy Gay, Landry Fields or the newly aacquired Steve Novak to the four).dddddddddddd One thing is for certain, this group -- paced by a young and enthusiastic frontcourt -- will not be lacking in effort or competitive spirit, a refreshingly positive problem for Casey to have when hes eventually tasked with divvying up playing time. "I think Coach [Casey] was very excited about Tyler," Ujiri said confidently. "Thats how coaches are. You bring [in] players that play the way they want to play and theyre excited." Meanwhile, Hansbrough defused the idea of a pre-existing rivalry with Valanciunas after he committed a hard foul that sent the Raptors rookie to the floor, landing on his previously injured hand back in February. "I dont really remember that play until everyone started mentioning it to me," he explained. "It wasnt a big deal its just sometimes the way I play. Im sure well talk about it and probably laugh, hopefully. It just happened." Both Hansbrough and Valanciunas were in attendance, with nine other Raptors players, when the team went out for dinner last week in Las Vegas. Most of the team has been in Vegas, with Valanciunas, Acy and Terrence Ross competing in the Summer League while several others are training together in player-organized workouts, getting a head start before training camp opens in a couple months. "Im big on that and I think Coach Casey is big on that too," Ujiri said of his teams offseason bonding. "Bringing guys together and you start building a bond and understanding each other a little bit. I think last week was good for us." "[It] was very good for the team and for [the] guys to just be around each other and have a feel and have a sense of excitement even. You can get pumped up." Point guard situation still in flux Although the club is expected to add some depth in the backcourt with the addition of point guard Dwight Buycks, as reported last week, the deal has yet to be finalized. Buycks is with the Raptors Summer League team in Vegas and is hoping to play in this coming weeks game and playoffs once the signing is made official. The signing of Julyan Stone has been put on hold, at least for now, as the former Nuggets guard continues to rehab a couple of nagging injuries. Stone underwent hip surgery last year and battled a knee injury upon returning to the Nuggets lineup in January. He appeared in just four regular season games and two playoff contests with Denver in 2012-13. Ujiri did not rule out adding the 24-year-old when and if hes healthy enough to pass his physical but said hell have to go through at least a month of additional rehab before a possible signing will be revisited. Amnesty decision on the way The Raptors have not yet decided whether or not to use their lone amnesty clause, according to Ujiri. Toronto is currently projected to be over the NBAs salary cap in 2013-14 but could avoid the luxury tax penalty by using the amnesty provision on the final year of Linas Kleizas contract. Kleiza played just 20 games last year and will make $4.6 million next season. Ujiri will continue to weigh his options and make a decision closer to Tuesdays amnesty deadline. ' ' '