Six Liverpool players including goalkeeper Alisson, defender Virgil van Dijk and forward Sadio Mane have been named in UEFA's Champions League League squad of the season.

Champions League winners Liverpool's total pipped that of semifinalists Ajax, who had five players including coveted defender Matthijs de Ligt named in the 20-player squad.

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A panel of nine experts including England manager Gareth Southgate, Belgium coach Roberto Martinez and former Manchester United manager David Moyes picked the squad, which included both Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo of Juventus.

Messi finished as outright top scorer in the tournament, with 12 goals, for the first time since the 2011-12 campaign, taking the crown from Ronaldo, who ended his European campaign with six strikes.

Liverpool, who beat Tottenham 2-0 to win the trophy in Madrid on Saturday, also had defenders Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson and midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum named in the selection.

Three Spurs players -- defender Jan Vertonghen, midfielder Moussa Sissoko and forward Lucas Moura -- were chosen.

Champions League Squad of the Season:

Goalkeepers: Alisson (Liverpool), Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Barcelona)

Defenders: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool) Matthijs de Ligt (Ajax) Jan Vertonghen (Tottenham) Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool) Andrew Robertson (Liverpool)

Midfielders: Moussa Sissoko (Tottenham) Hakim Ziyech (Ajax) Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City) Frenkie de Jong (Ajax) Tanguy Ndombele (Lyon) Georginio Wijnaldum (Liverpool) David Neres (Ajax) Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)

Forwards: Lionel Messi (Barcelona) Dusan Tadic (Ajax) Sadio Mane (Liverpool) Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus) Lucas Moura (Tottenham)

Azhar Mahmood has issued a rallying call to the Pakistan team ahead of their World Cup clash with England, reminding them they only need "ten good balls" to account for England's powerful batting line-up.

Monday's game will be played on the same pitch which saw England reach a record score of 481 for 6 against Australia last summer but the Pakistan bowling coach believes his side's attack has the wicket-taking firepower to ensure that record remains intact.

"We know we have ability, they have skill, and they are the best batting line-up," said Mahmood after Pakistan's training session at Trent Bridge. "But a lot of it going on, the 480 pitch has been a world record pitch, but they have to play 300 balls to get to that record, but we have to bowl 10 good balls to get 10 wickets.

"So we have ability, we have the skills to do that, and hopefully we can do it tomorrow."

Pakistan suffered an 11th straight loss in their dismal opening match against the West Indies at Trent Bridge but will take some inspiration from better performances in their four-match series against England last month. While they lost that series four-nil, Mahmood denied it would be a significant upset should Pakistan pull off a victory over the hosts.

"No upset. We can beat them," said Mahmood. "It's not upset. We have ability to beat them. If you see the one-day series, we were not that far from England. They scored 1430-odd runs, we scored 1370 runs, so we were 70 runs short.

"Unfortunately our fielding was not up to the mark and we gave extra bonus because we have an inexperienced bowling line-up, young bowling line-up. They need to learn from their mistakes. So we know what England can do, and we know what we can do."

Mahmood also pointed out the similarity to Pakistan's position at the same stage of the 2017 Champions Trophy. Pakistan lost heavily to India in their opening match of that tournament but then embarked on a winning streak that included ending England's campaign in the semi-finals and then defeating India in the final.

"We are one win away from coming back, and that's happened in the Champions Trophy as well," said Mahmood. "We lost in the Champions Trophy and then we came back hard. So whenever we have lost, we come back stronger, and we have the ability to bounce back.

"I totally believe in this team - totally. If you see these guys, they were part of the Champions Trophy as well, so they have experience. They've played in England, so they have enough experience and motivation to go and win the game for Pakistan.

"This is a World Cup. It won't be easy for us. It will be a roller coaster, not for us, for all the teams. It's a big tournament, so as long as we learn from our mistakes and we move on, it's better for us."

If there was any danger that England might allow a touch of complacency to creep over them before their match against Pakistan, a quick glance at the record books should set them straight.

Yes, Pakistan have lost 11 ODIs in a row. And yes, England are unbeaten in a bilateral ODI series at home since 2015. They go into Monday's World Cup match as strong favourites.

But Pakistan have derailed England's plans before. Just two years ago, in Cardiff, they ended their Champions Trophy hopes at the semi-final stage, while England's new retro kit should ensure memories of the 1992 World Cup final remain fresh in the mind. Indeed, England have beaten Pakistan only once in a global ODI tournament (the World Cup or Champions Trophy) since 1983. That England victory, inspired by a young James Anderson, came back in 2003. An England side still searching for that maiden, global ODI trophy can have no room for complacency.

There is unlikely to be much swing on offer in Nottingham on Monday. Instead, England look set to reunite their two fastest bowlers - Jofra Archer and Mark Wood - in what may be the quickest ODI opening pair they have ever had.

There is logic in the approach. Pakistan looked uncomfortable against West Indies' fast bowling on the same ground on Friday. And while this pitch is not quite the same - it is two along the square and is the strip that produced the world record 481 last year and 444 against Pakistan in 2016 - England will hope their opening pair have the pace and control to unsettle a Pakistan batting line-up that looks low on confidence. In the ODI here a couple of weeks ago, Wood forced Imam ul Haq to retire hurt following a blow on the elbow, while Archer dismissed the dangerous Asif Ali with a bouncer.

With Wood and Archer more than capable of sharing the new balls, there is a possibility Chris Woakes could make way for Tom Curran. There was a time England might have worried about that weakening the batting but, such is Curran's improvement - and Archer's promise - with the bat, that is far less of a concern. Curran is also one of England's more proficient bowlers at the death.

That would be tough on Liam Plunkett and Woakes, who would probably be the bowlers to make way. Plunkett dismissed both South Africa openers on Thursday and contributed nicely in the field and with the bat, while Woakes was only required to bowl five overs and is understood to have recovered well. Both could feel justifiably disappointed to miss out. Maybe it is relevant that both Wood and Archer conceded more than six-an-over in that ODI a couple of weeks ago, too. Plunkett's cutters might not be as glamorous as Wood's pace, but they can prove just as awkward for batsmen.

Either way, England captain, Eoin Morgan, insisted his side would not underestimate Pakistan and cautioned against anyone expecting the vast scores we have seen here in the recent past.

And while he gave nothing away over his team selection - he may even have hinted that it would remain unchanged - the whispers around the England camp gave a slightly different story.

"We prepare for Pakistan at their best," he said. "Two years ago they were the best side in the world in the Champions Trophy. They turned us over and they turned India over. We'll be preparing as best we can for their A game.

"To get anywhere near 481 you have to play unbelievably well. It starts with the very basics of getting ourselves into an innings. You always start on 0. And this pitch maybe a bit different. It looks as if it may be a bit two-paced and with steeper bounce.

"There is a chance Wood could play. We saw the wicket the other day went through with more pace and exposed Pakistan, more so with the short ball. That short bowling could be a trend in this tournament. Over the last couple of years, the end in the short formats has been to bowl leg-spin. But the nature of these pitches might mean that short bowling is the trend.

"The pitches look pretty good. Cross seam deliveries into the wicket might be getting a better reaction than any other bowling. It's potentially coming off two-paced which makes cross-bat shots a little bit harder and means you have to take a higher risk.

"As the tournament progresses, you will probably see the wickets get slower and we'll look at playing three spinners or bringing in a death bowler. We're looking at all aspects."

Rain curtailed England's training session on Sunday. It was noticeable, however, that Joe Root took to the indoor nets where he faced a barrage of short balls. Pakistan's bowlers have some pace and skill of their own. They have curtailed England's plans before. They will not be taken lightly.

Bangladesh 330 for 6 (Mushfiqur 78, Shakib 75, Phehlukwayo 2-52) beat South Africa 309 for 8 (du Plessis 62, Mustafizur 3-67) by 21 runs

As it happened: Bangladesh v South Africa

These teams seem to bring out extremes in one another. In previous World Cups, that has meant one-sided games, in which one side completely dominated the other - as South Africa did with a 10-wicket thumping in their first encounter in Bloemfontein in 2003. Four years later, it was Bangladesh's turn to bring the pain as an array of left-arm spinners sent South Africa spiralling to a 67-run defeat at Providence. The pendulum swung back when Bangladesh wilted to 78 all out under lights in Mirpur in 2011. And now it's swung once more, Bangladesh excelling to soar to a 21-run win.

WATCH on Hotstar - Shakib Al Hasan's solid 75 (Available to viewers in India only)

That result would make this officially the closest South Africa-Bangladesh match in ODI history, but on a day when South Africa were outplayed in all departments, that wasn't saying much. This was Bangladesh's second ever World Cup win over South Africa and, hinting at the momentum they have behind them, their fifth win in their last five completed ODIs.

South Africa's fast bowlers huffed and they puffed, but they couldn't blow Bangladesh's house down. In fact, it was quite the opposite, as Bangladesh's batsmen studded their innings Manhattan with skyscrapers.

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Along the way, Bangladesh's achievements, collective and individual, were both many and noteworthy. Shakib Al Hasan became the first Bangladeshi - and fastest cricketer - to the double of 250 wickets and 5,000 runs in ODIs, getting there quicker than the likes of Shahid Afridi and Jacques Kallis. Bangladesh reached 330 for 6, their highest total in ODIs, smashing their previous best against South Africa by 52 runs.

That they soared so high was thanks mainly to a 142-run stand between Shakib and Mushfiqur Rahim, which is also Bangladesh's highest in World Cups. Together they built on the solid early efforts of Soumya Sarkar, who took on the short ball with gumption, showing echoes of his early outings against the South Africans at home way back in 2015, when he ramped and hooked his way to 205 runs in three innings to help his team to a 2-1 series win.

WATCH on Hotstar - Mushfiqur's 78 lifts Bangladesh (Available to viewers in India only)

Today, he got his team off to an excellent start with a fluid 60-run opening stand with Tamim Iqbal. South Africa clearly had a plan with the ball, and Faf du Plessis said as much at the toss, telegraphing his intentions by saying: "We're playing the extra seamer today so we want to try and attack Bangladesh with some extra pace." But once Bangladesh showed they were happy to take the short ball on, South Africa floundered for a back-up.

There was much fanfare about the potential in South Africa's bowling attack before this tournament. Kagiso Rabada, Dale Steyn, Lungi Ngidi and Imran Tahir are all match-winners in their own right, and having all four in the same line-up was South Africa's Plan A. But Steyn is yet to recover from the shoulder flare-up that cut short his IPL jaunt, Ngidi limped off with a tweaked hamstring after bowling four wicketless overs in which he leaked seven boundaries, and Rabada endured one of his rare off days, conceding 0 for 57 in his ten overs.

Worse still, South Africa had one of their worst days in recent memory in the field. The trouble started as early as the fifth over, when a regulation edge flew right between du Plessis and Aiden Markram in the slips, gifting Sarkar a second life. Then, as the partnership between Shakib and Mushfiqur grew, South African shoulders sagged and their energy in the field flatlined.

Misfields aplenty - and most egregious of all, Chris Morris' amateurish effort at short fine leg when Mushfiqur swept a ball from Tahir almost straight to him in the 20th over - eased the pressure whenever it started to build. Shakib was first to his fifty, getting there in the 26th over, Mushfiqur following him to the mark three overs later. Neither could kick on to three figures, but Mahmudullah ensured their efforts were not wasted, and Bangladesh's innings crescendoed as 54 runs came from the final four overs.

Bangladesh carried that momentum into the field, and there was a distinctly nervy feel to the start of South Africa's chase. Nerves turned to all-out jitters when de Kock was needlessly run out in the 10th over. Thereafter, it was Bangladesh's best-laid plans that worked out. A trap was set for du Plessis, mid-off being brought up to tempt him into hitting against the spin, and he duly jumped into it - and out of his crease, running past a Mehidy offbreak to be bowled for 62.

South Africa's hopes seemed to depart with him. Mustafizur got rid of David Miller via a leading edge to point, and Rassie van der Dussen played a decidedly flustered hoick across the line to be bowled by Mohammad Saifuddin for 45.

Thereafter, South Africa never looked up for it. All Bangladesh had to do was hold their nerve, and they did just that, opening their World Cup campaign with a win.

Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza says a collective performance is slowly becoming a winning formula for his side that beat South Africa by 21 runs in their World Cup opener on Sunday.

He didn't call the win their biggest ever but he said the wholesomeness of the performance delighted him, and would give the team much confidence for their next game.

"This is the team we are," Mashrafe said. "We mostly win when everyone contributes. Once most of our players step up, there's a good possibility to win the matches. I think we have been lucky, and played so well. We played well in the 2007 World Cup, and did well in a few matches in the 2011 World Cup too.

"I don't think this is our best win in terms of individual wins, but it wasn't easy for us in these conditions. It is one of our best performances because we are away from home, and I loved the way we played today. We know that it won't happen every day but we will take this win any day."

Mashrafe, however, warned his team-mates and fans not to go overboard with their first win in the competition with eight games remaining.

"We don't want to be too excited," he said. "We just have two points so far, so we should just focus on our game. We have to beat big teams if we want to do well in this tournament.

"I think from now we should forget about today's game. We have to plan against New Zealand, and try to execute it properly. This win will give us confidence but more challenges await us especially for our batsmen."

Mashrafe that he was pleased to see the batsmen play aggressively, yet not take too many risks. Soumya Sarkar embodied the approach by hitting nine chanceless boundaries in his 30-ball 42, before Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim struck fifties, and later Mahmudullah and Mosaddek Hossain blasted 60-odd runs in the last six overs.

"It looked good that the batsmen built the innings without taking risks. I think they told themselves that we don't need to take many risks to score quickly. I hope that they took this message, and will apply it in the middle in the coming games."

Mashrafe didn't discount luck from the equation either, saying that when Mehidy Hasan Miraz got one to turn into Faf du Plessis and got him bowled, he knew something was up for them.

"I am a believer in luck," he said. "Everyone plans but it doesn't always come off. Luck is a factor in these tournaments, if you want to do well. The delivery that got Faf du Plessis was the only ball that turned, so luck is very much a thing."

Faf du Plessis, South Africa's captain, says that his team will have to cobble together a new strategy to stay alive in the World Cup, after a disastrous defeat to Bangladesh at The Oval was compounded by a hamstring strain for Lungi Ngidi that will keep one of their premier strike bowlers out of action for up to ten days.

With Dale Steyn, their iconic attack leader, still inching his way back to fitness following a shoulder problem, du Plessis admitted that "Plan A is gone", having come into the World Cup with hopes of deploying those two men alongside Kagiso Rabada to form one of the most formidable pace attacks in world cricket.

And now, with just three days to dust themselves off before taking on India in their opening World Cup fixture in Southampton on Wednesday, du Plessis said that he was still searching for answers as to why South Africa's campaign has got off to such a poor start.

"I have to believe that we can still win the World Cup," du Plessis said. "I won't be South African if I said no.

"I'll go back and try and see how we can lift the spirits in the team. We're playing a strong team in India in their first game, and our third game, so as a team, we know. We know we're not good enough at the moment and we have to turn it around.

"It's not like international cricket [is] 'there you go, there's a win for you'. The World Cup is set up with strong teams, and we have to win. We have no other choice. We won't be going back and just falling over, I can promise you that."

South Africa's performance was fatally undermined when Ngidi left the field after bowling just four expensive overs in Bangladesh's record ODI total of 330 for 6. He did not reappear, even to bat, and Dr Mohammad Moosajee, the team doctor, confirmed he would be sent for scans after experiencing "sharp discomfort in his left hamstring".

"Look, it didn't go according to plan," said du Plessis. "We spoke a lot before the game about trying to be aggressive, but obviously then Lungi got injured and that changed completely.

"Now all of a sudden, as captain, I have to bowl 15 to 20 overs of medium to slow or spin or bowling, so then you need to bowl the team out in order to make sure that you don't have to chase a big score.

"But the nature of subcontinent teams is that they do get a big score on the board, they can squeeze you when they have runs on the board, and that's exactly what happened."

Options for South Africa are thin on the ground going into the India fixture. Dwaine Pretorius is waiting in the wings as a seam-bowling allrounder, and Tabraiz Shamsi could conceivably link up with Imran Tahir in a twin-spin attack. But their ideal scenario, of fast and hostile bowling to cow their opponents into submission, is now to all intents and purposes over.

Plan A is gone," said du Plessis. "It's gone because Plan A was those bowlers playing together. They haven't played a game together on this tour.

"Initially Plan B was Anrich Nortje, an extra pace bowler that we had lined up for if we had an injury, to have another X-factor bowler that can bowl 145 plus. He got injured, as well.

"So now you're moving into your all-rounder territory. You have two medium pace all-rounders and then you have Chris Morris that like sits in between your fast bowlers and your medium pace bowlers.

"So, now, we have to really look at what we can do to try to be effective; is it playing all-rounders together, do we play two spinners. Now it's reshuffling all our cards and see how best we can deal with it."

Steyn is at least making progress towards his long-awaited return. He practised in the middle after the match, and should be close to consideration for the India game. However, having not played competitively since the IPL in April, and with a possible six must-win matches still to come in the group stages, his realistic return may be deferred until the West Indies match on June 9.

"Any captain would say that it's not easy [managing injuries], but I mean, I can't complain about it," said du Plessis. "That's not going to change anything. I have to find a way. The coaching staff, the team, has to find a way. It's not going for us from an injuries point of view."

For now, du Plessis' task is to motivate a dispirited dressing room, and he warned that - whereas there was comfort to be taken in the manner of their opening defeat against India - the Bangladesh loss was a different matter altogether.

"From my style of captaincy, has always been there's a line, and if you don't perform to that line, then there's a lot of harsh words," he said. "I'm certainly not Mr. Nice Guy. There's times for strictness and there's times that you see a dressing room needs you to be strong and to motivate them, and that was the previous game when we lost to England the way that we did.

"But now, today was not good enough. There's absolutely no excuses from me. So if the guys think they can make excuses for a performance like today, then they will be challenged. That's a fact.

"At the moment, it's a skill thing. Our skill is not where it needs to be. It's got absolutely nothing to do with injuries. You can make excuses, as many as you want. But every single player in our dressing room is not playing to their full potential, and that's why we're not putting the performance on. It's just about making sure you look at yourself in the mirror and see how you can find that answer."

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski said Sunday morning that he is happy in retirement, while playfully deflecting a question on whether he wanted to end rumors that he would ever consider a comeback.

"Oh man! Whatever I say, it doesn't matter. It will always be crazy out there, but you can put them to rest," Gronkowski said with a smile while taking part in the One Mission Buzz Off for Kids at Gillette Stadium. "I'm feeling good. [In a] good place. It's great to be back here."

While Gronkowski, 30, didn't decisively spike the possibility of a comeback -- which is something his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said in March wouldn't surprise him -- he clearly seems to be content in retirement.

Gronkowski said returning to Gillette Stadium for Sunday's event, which marked the ninth year in which he's served as an ambassador by shaving his head in support of kids with cancer, reminded him that "there will always be family here, and it will always be home here."

Gronkowski didn't detail specific plans for his retirement, other than saying he plans to be part of more charitable and community events.

"I love the New England community. It's something special, all the support through many, many years of playing. The support of just not on the field, but off the field as well. New England will always be special, always have a big part in my heart, and always have much love," he said. "It's great to continue giving back. Just because I'm not playing any more doesn't mean you can't give back. You can do more, actually."

Gronkowski arrived for Sunday's event in the "Gronk Bus," allowing fans the chance to step inside and take photos

Welcome to the Gronk Bus, which arrived early at Gillette Stadium for this morning's One Mission Buzz Off for Kids with Cancer. This is the 10th year for @buzzforkids, a great event, and the 9th year @RobGronkowski has been an ambassador. pic.twitter.com/FVGJFB3oUu

— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) June 2, 2019

Andy Ruiz Jr. did what many believed was the impossible by stopping Anthony Joshua in Round 7 on Saturday to capture the WBA, WBO and IBF world titles in one of the biggest upsets in boxing history.

So what happened, and what did we learn?

1. Ruiz won -- did boxing lose?

It wasn't just Joshua who suffered a defeat. Deontay Wilder was a big loser too. While Wilder might eventually face Joshua in the future, that fight will never have quite the same importance or buzz as it did for the past year, when both were undefeated heavyweight titleholders.

Before this fateful weekend, if you had asked most boxing fans, both hard-core and casual, which fight they would most like to see in 2019, the answer probably would have been Joshua vs. Wilder. And now, after all the public posturing and promotional machinations that took place between the two sides, the two fighters and fans alike are now left with the possibility of nothing.

This was somewhat reminiscent of another monumental heavyweight upset -- when James "Buster" Douglas defeated Mike Tyson in February 1990. Sitting ringside that night in Tokyo was Evander Holyfield, who was waiting in the wings for Tyson to take care of business so that Holyfield could face "Iron Mike" for an eight-figure payday in what would have been a matchup of two well-known and undefeated heavyweights in their physical primes.

A pairing between Joshua and Wilder as undefeated heavyweight champions would have been one of the rare events in which boxing would've taken center stage on an international level.

Perhaps Wilder is finding a sense of satisfaction out of all this, given the acrimony of what has been an all-too-public negotiation with Joshua. But there has to be a part of him that is frustrated that the opportunity to be the first man to make the London Bridge fall down has evaporated, along with a career-high payday.

Once again, the business of boxing got in the way of the sport.

2. Is Joshua's chin a problem?

At this point, it seems like a rhetorical question.

What looked to be an early night for Joshua after flooring Ruiz in Round 3, instead became the beginning of a Gotham City nightmare in Joshua's United States debut. As he came into close the show on Ruiz, Joshua was caught by a series of crisp counterpunches from Ruiz, who proved he too could punch.

Joshua was stunned by a left hook to the temple during an exchange in the same round and went down in an stunning turn of events. And then once again. And while he survived the round and had some moments thereafter, from that point on, he looked unsteady on his legs and more than that, unsure of his own durability.

Never had a man so strong looked so fragile.

It was an easy call for referee Michael Griffin. While Joshua was on his feet standing on a neutral corner after being knocked down twice more by Ruiz in Round 7, he had symbolically waved the white flag.

And while the result is surprising, the fact is that Joshua was buzzed numerous times, and he hit the canvas four times. We have seen that before. He was stunned in victories over Dillian Whyte and most recently against Alexander Povetkin. Two years ago, Joshua was knocked down by Wladimir Klitschko before stopping Klitschko in a great fight.

For all of his talent, it's clear that Joshua's chin is a flaw. Perhaps it was just a matter of when it was going to be totally exposed.

3. So, who's the best heavyweight in boxing right now?

While Ruiz has three belts around his waist, does this make him the best big man in the world?

It's not Ruiz, no. But he'll certainly get the opportunity to state his case in the coming months.

WBC belt-holder Deontay Wilder and lineal champion Tyson Fury -- who fought to a contentious draw in December at Los Angeles' Staples Center -- are considered the two best after tonight.

It was announced Friday that Wilder and Fury had agreed to a rematch in the first part of 2020. The winner of that bout will be considered the best fighter in the division. But based on the events we just saw, let's not assume anything just yet. While Wilder will be facing Luis Ortiz in September, Fury still has to fight Tom Schwarz on June 15 and might have another fight in the fall.

Let's not just pencil in this rematch just yet.

4. Is an immediate rematch a good idea for Joshua?

The reality is that Joshua has never been the same aggressive attacker post-Klitschko. Now, in the aftermath of his New York meltdown, you wonder if he'll ever be the same. Losses of this nature can affect a fighter more psychologically than physically.

This just seems like a soul-crushing loss for Joshua, and the shiny veneer that accompanied him into this event might never be recaptured. The cloak of invincibility on Joshua had been fading, and now it's completely ripped to shreds.

If they do it again in six months, Ruiz, you would think, would come into the rematch with more confidence -- and at least the same power -- while Joshua will have the same doubts that he left the ring with on Saturday.

In the United Kingdom, Joshua is still a very bankable commodity, but another loss to Ruiz most likely would reduce his status to being the modern-day Frank Bruno.

5. Do we need to give Ruiz credit?

Yes, absolutely. While there is a natural inclination in these circumstances to always talk about the shortcomings of the favorite who loses a fight in this manner, credit does have to be given to the victors for what they achieved.

Ruiz was a late replacement for Jarrell Miller and a more seasoned fighter with a better track record coming into the bout. While neither had faced "great "opposition, Ruiz's only loss in 33 previous fights was a razor-thin majority decision to Joseph Parker in Auckland, New Zealand, for the WBO heavyweight title in December 2016.

Talent has never been an issue for the 29-year-old Ruiz, who despite his less-than-chiseled physique is a boxer who possesses fast hands and fluidity. He will never have rippling abs or the shredded musculature of his colleagues, but he does have natural fighting ability.

He also showed a fighter's mentality by dusting himself off the canvas in the third; instead of getting caved in by Joshua, Ruiz turned things around in dramatic fashion, then proceeded to patiently walk down the defending champion.

Bottom line: Ruiz fights better than he looks.

Dwyane Wade, reflecting on the challenges faced by the students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, where a mass shooting took place last year, told the school's 2019 graduating class that "I've never experienced anything to the magnitude that you guys just experienced."

Wade was a surprise speaker for the high school's graduation ceremonies Sunday. In his speech, he shared his perspective on his first visit to the Parkland, Florida, school in March 2018, three weeks after the shooting that killed 14 students and three staff members.

"I remember walking to the school, and I remember hearing absolutely nothing," Wade said. "I remember thinking to myself, 'I've never heard this kind of silence before in my life.'"

Wade then related his surprise at the reaction he got from people at the school, saying they made him a part of the "MSD family."

"As I was walking in, students started seeing me, I remember seeing smiles, people running, pulling out their phones," Wade said. "... I remember thinking, 'Wow.' It was packed. I didn't expect that."

Wade told graduates that it was understandable if they felt unsure about their futures. He said that in some ways, after 16 years in the NBA, he also was unsure exactly what his future entails.

The now-retired Wade has been a regular supporter of the school ever since the shooting. He said he was honored that Joaquin Oliver, who was killed in the attack, was a huge fan of the former Miami Heat star and was buried wearing a Wade jersey.

Wade closed his remarks by asking those in attendance to join him in a cheer that he used to spur on the Heat in the 2013 NBA Finals.

The cheer was punctuated by the words "to the last man, to the last minute, to the last second, we fight, we fight, we fight!" Once he led the graduates and their guests in the cheer, he wrapped up his speech by again saying, "MSD Strong" -- the school's mantra since the tragedy.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.