In 1971 Muhammad Ali won his first title since returning to boxing after being stripped of his world heavyweight crown four years earlier for refusing, on religious grounds, to be drafted into the US Army. He beat Jimmy Ellis for the North American belt.

Image source, Rex Features

Image source, Reuters

Tour de France winner Chris Froome will race in the Vuelta a Espana 10 days after appearing at the Olympics.

Sir Dave Brailsford, the Team Sky principal, said Froome's appearance was part of a "season-long plan."

Froome will appear in the Olympic road race on 6 August and time-trial on 10 August once the Olympics get underway.

Image source, Getty Images

Premier League chairman Richard Scudamore has said that discussions about introducing a winter break to English football are ongoing.

Sam Allardyce said in his unveiling as England manager that no winter break put an "enormous demand" on players.

"We are in discussions but I don't know how close or far we are. I don't want to compromise those discussions," Scudamore told Sky Sports.

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City are closing in on deals for Leroy Sane and Gabriel Jesus, according to The Mirror., external

Despite Schalke's asking price of £41.5m for Sane, the winger is keen to work with Pep Guardiola.

The club are also confident of beating Juve, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Inter Milan to Gabriel's signature.

Image source, Matt Bunn/BPI/REX/Shutterstock

Wigan have signed defender Jake Buxton from fellow Championship side Derby County.

Buxton scored 13 goals in 159 appearances in seven years with Derby.

"He's a top professional with over 300 games to his name and he's chomping at the bit to add to his tally," said Wigan boss Gary Caldwell.

Chris Lawson: Look no further than Victor Valdes and Gaston Ramirez. Without doubt the best free transfers this preseason

Fahad Khan: Best free transfer has to be Michael Ballack to Chelsea. Played some of his best football at that time

Martin Tibbetts: Cambiasso to Leicester. His class kept us up, without that the title would remain a pipe dream

Image source, Rex Features

There was a classic case of father-son rivalry in Bristol on Monday.

It was Lee Johnson who ended up on the winning side as Bristol City beat Cheltenham Town, managed by his father Gary, in a friendly match.

Lee, who walked away with The Johnson Cup and bragging rights for the next year, told BBC Radio Bristol: "Whatever we're playing, however small the game - table tennis, tiddlywinks - we try to beat each other."

A plane carrying Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany came off the runway after the pilot lined up with the wrong set of lights, accident investigators have said.

The Citation CJ2 skidded off the runway at Norwich Airport in January.

Three passengers were on board the aircraft when two crew members mistook the runway's left edge lights for its centre, causing the plane to veer off.

No one was injured in the incident.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

More Lionel Messi news now, and this one isn't just about his hair - there are rumours he could be on the move.

Former Barcelona president Joan Laporta has said there is a conspiracy at the club to get rid of Messi. Messi's current deal with the club ends in 2018.

And Manchester City are confident that if - and it's a big if - Messi did depart, he'd make the Etihad his next destination...

Image source, Getty Images

Are you ready, Manchester? Zlatan has arrived.

The new Manchester United number nine has been pictured in the city, external as he prepares to meet up with his new teammates.

Zlatan will train with the Reds this week before making his debut on Saturday against Galatasaray.

Image source, Getty Images

Australian athletes will move into Rio's Olympic Village on Wednesday after officials made "fantastic progress" in addressing concerns.

The Australian delegation initially refused to move in after concerns over plumbing and wiring.

But the teams will now move in on Wednesday after improvement work has been carried out.

Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes had responded to Australian criticism by saying the village is "more beautiful" than Sydney's for the 2000 Games and that he was about to put "a kangaroo jumping outside" to "make them feel at home".  

Simon Stone
BBC Sport in Shanghai

It does at least look as though Manchester City will have a game on their trip to China.

After the proposed Manchester derby against United in Beijing was scrapped six hours before kickoff on Monday due to the pitch being unfit, City have now flown to Shenzhen.

I have just been to have a look and there seem to be no problems at all.

The surface is flat, with none of the change in colouring in evidence at the Birds Nest in Beijing, which has experienced massive rainfall over the past fortnight.

Image source, Simon Stone

Billy Sales: Best free transfer? Can't overlook Carlton Cole! We released him just so we could sign him on a free a couple weeks later.

Keren Davies: Favourite free transfer: As a Brighton and Hove Albion fan, got to be Vicente to Brighton, he ran rings around the championship for us!

John Michael Poole: Steven Fletcher for #SWFC, external has got to be up there, will be excellent at Championship level

Keep them coming - use #bbcsportsday on Twitter or head to our Match of the Day Facebook page.

Image source, Rex Features

QPR forward Jamie Mackie will be out for at least three more months after suffering ankle ligament damage.

The 30-year-old sustained the injury in training while coming back from surgery on a hamstring problem. 

Image source, Getty Images

Sri Lankan spin legend Muttiah Muralitharan has hit out at critics who called him a "traitor" for working with the Australian team.

Murali is working as a consultant for the Australian spinners and batsmen during their tour of Sri Lanka.

"They have no right to accuse me of being a traitor," Murali said.

Barcelona have touched down in England for their pre-season games against Celtic, Leicester and Liverpool. 

The team have been training at St George's Park and former Liverpool striker Luis Suarez has been snapped alongside American rapper Eminem.

No, wait. Our mistake. It's Lionel Messi with his new 'do.

Image source, Getty Images

Today Programme
BBC Radio 4

RFU chief executive Ian Ritchie has played down suggestions that the Six Nations will be moved as part of a restructuring of the global rugby calendar. 

Putting himself on course for a tussle with World Rugby, Ritchie said the current schedule worked perfectly well.   

Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino has been speaking to the media after his side's friendly defeat by Juventus in Melbourne.

He said: "It was a great experience for us. Lots of things to learn and lots of positives. I'm very pleased with our young players."

Adam McEvoy: Favourite free transfer: definitely Michael Owen to Man Utd. The 96th minute winner against City justified that move! 4-3.

Kewlio: Jermaine Defoe to Sunderland in a player exchange. Saved the club from relegation. Got Sam his England job.

Alex Shcnopple: Jurgen Klinsmann to Tottenham, 1997, emphatic goalscoring & crowd-pleasing celebrations + saving them from relegation.

Image source, Getty Images

AP McCoy has paid an emotional tribute to Irish jockey JT McNamara, who has died aged 41. 

The Irishman was paralysed after a fall at the 2013 Cheltenham Festival.

"I would hate for him to be looking down on me at this moment in time because I've done nothing but cry all morning," McCoy told BBC Radio 5 live. 

"He was every bit as experienced as me and talented as I am and he had a fall."

Image source, Getty Images