Murali Sreeshankar in action© Getty

Planet Red and Sabaj, both geldings trained by Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr, are commencing their spring preparations with differing ultimate goals, but they may encounter each other along the way.

The pair completed their first jumpouts of the current campaign at Cranbourne on Monday morning.

Sabaj finished third, just under two lengths behind Proved, without being asked for a serious effort in its initial hitout. Planet Red secured second place in a later heat, beaten approximately 2-1/2 lengths by Spirit Of Wealth.

This was the most demanding piece of work for each horse this campaign. Both are expected to resume racing in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) on August 29, followed by the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m), before targeting major spring races in Sydney.

“I think they’re running in the hot Memsie,” Price said.

“With their rating, the calendar pushes you in that way. I think they’ll both kick off there because of their rating and the timing of it.

“They’re both nice horses and they’re both sort of Toorak Handicap horses.”

Provided everything progresses smoothly until the Toorak Handicap, which will be held at Caulfield on October 10, Planet Red is then expected to head towards the Golden Eagle (1500m). This year marks the first time the race will be run at Group 1 level.

Price and Kent achieved success in the 2021 Golden Eagle with I’m Thunderstruck, a horse who also won the Toorak Handicap. Price noted that the $10 million event is a compelling target for the gelding, who had previously finished runner-up in both the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas and Australian Guineas earlier this season.

“His run in the Caulfield Guineas was very good, drawn a bad gate, and his run in the Australian Guineas was very good, drawn a bad gate, so we were forced to ride cold in both those races,” he commented on the son of Admire Mars.

“The Golden Eagle is a fast 1500. You need a horse with a pretty good turn of foot and, for $10m and four-year-olds, I think he’ll be in it.”

Sabaj’s Sydney campaign will focus on the $2 million Five Diamonds (1800m), a race exclusively for five-year-olds, scheduled for November 7.

The son of Manhattan Rain has won five of his 12 starts. While he has not won in his three starts this year, he did finish fourth in both the Group 1 All-Star Mile (1600m) and Australian Cup (2000m).

“He’s a nice horse and I think anywhere between a mile and 2000 (is suitable),” Price said.

“I reckon the Five Diamonds for him, because he will be a five-year-old.

“It’s 1800, that’d be beautiful. That’ll be a nice race for him.”

Check the latest racing odds with betting sites.

One week after the FIFA World Cup final, FIFA president Gianni Infantino defended the tournament and criticised what he described as negative coverage, accusing some critics of “spreading hate and false rumors.”In a 900-word statement published across a 15-page post on his Instagram account and on FIFA’s website late Sunday, Infantino said FIFA had succeeded in staging the World Cup and bringing people together.He praised FIFA for “delivering the best show in the world” and said the tournament had brought “joy and togetherness.”“Sorry that you were so consumed by hate and criticism that you missed it all,” Infantino wrote, addressing his comments to “those behind their pens and papers, behind their screens spreading hate and false rumors.”FIFA and Infantino faced criticism during the World Cup over several issues, including Iran team officials, a Somali referee and some fans being denied entry to the United States, allegations of political influence by US President Donald Trump in allowing Folarin Balogun to avoid a suspension after receiving a red card, high ticket prices and commercial breaks introduced midway through each half of all 104 matches.“Every city was packed with fans from all around the globe,” Infantino wrote. “While they celebrated, you were busy planting seeds of hate.”“While you hide, we are exploring the streets of Canada, Mexico, and the United States, talking with fans, engaging with people, and ensuring everyone’s safety.”On Iran and US relationsIran’s participation in matches held in the United States had been one of the major issues before the tournament. The Iranian team eventually shifted its training camp from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana in Mexico before the competition.“Iran entered the United States without incident or conflict,” Infantino wrote. “While you spread hatred, we worked tirelessly to unite two countries at war.”Some supporters were unable to enter the United States, including Michel Nkuka Mboladinga, the well-known Congo supporter, who attended one match in Mexico after being denied a US visa.“You mentioned the few people denied visas and overlooked the millions who were approved, from all parts of the world,” Infantino wrote. “Countries facing serious health issues or other challenges were granted visas.”Defending Balogun decisionInfantino also responded to criticism over the handling of US forward Folarin Balogun’s red card.He said “subsequent decisions not to ban players in certain situations are routine.”FIFA did not cancel Balogun’s red card, which sometimes happens in domestic competitions. Instead, it deferred his one-match suspension for a probationary period. FIFA has not yet released the disciplinary judge’s written decision.Ending his statement, Infantino urged critics to focus on football instead of criticism.

In Indian cricket, where every single season there are a host of newcomers knocking on the senior team’s doors, it becomes increasingly difficult for the BCCI national selection committee to justify every pick and snub. In fact, even narrative shifts occur at breathtaking speed. Just a week after seeing his place in the Indian team being questioned, 15-year-old prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has completely rewritten the script. With a commanding display in India’s 3-0 T20I series sweep over Zimbabwe in Harare, the teenage sensation has not merely announced his arrival on the world stage; he has made top-order selection a tricky jigsaw puzzle for the Ajit Agarkar-led team of selectors.

Sooryavanshi’s initial steps in national colours were far from effortless. After replacing Sanju Samson during the tour of England, the young left-hander managed modest returns of 14, 13, and 15 before being sidelined for the series-decider. Critics questioned whether it was too early to push the teenager into the top tier of Indian cricket.

However, the Indian selection panel maintained their faith and decided to retain him in the squad for the three-match series in Zimbabwe. Returning to the familiar surroundings of the Harare Sports Club, the very venue where he blazed a stunning 175 against England in the Under-19 World Cup final, Sooryavanshi transformed potential into pure dominance.

As the Zimbabwe series concluded, Sooryavanshi became the youngest player in men’s international cricket history to earn the honour. He ended the 3-match series as the leading run-scorer across both teams with 151 runs in three innings and an average of over 50.

In the first T20I of the series, Sooryavanshi slammed his maiden T20I fifty off just 18 balls in the opening match. He ended the series with a mature 81 off 49 balls.

What set Sooryavanshi’s performances apart in Harare was not merely raw power, but an impressive tactical adaptability. In fact, India’s head coach for the series, VVS Laxman, couldn’t believe how mature the teenager had become, having only started to make waves in Indian cricket a couple of years ago.

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The Selection Headache:

Sooryavanshi’s meteoric rise leaves the Indian team management facing a selection conundrum that can’t really be ‘fairly’ resolved. His dominance at the top of the order has directly challenged established names.

Left out of the Zimbabwe tour following quiet outings, Sanju Samson now faces an uphill task to reclaim his spot. Former cricketers like Irfan Pathan have openly noted that when a youngster takes his chance with such conviction, returning to the XI becomes extraordinarily difficult for the incumbent.

Abhishek Sharma, on the other hand, continues to endure a prolonged slump, recording consecutive low scores (2, 8, 1, 3, 16, 10). With Sooryavanshi demonstrating both explosive hitting and innings-building ability, pressure on Abhishek — the man ranked No. 2 in ICC Rankings for batters — is rapidly increasing.

At just 15 years old, Sooryavanshi has displayed a rare blend of fearless strokeplay and tactical awareness beyond his years that arguably no player of his age ever has. As India look towards upcoming international assignments and major tournaments, the selectors no longer have the option to simply leave Sooryavanshi out. But breaking the opening pair of Abhishek and Samson — the duo who won India the T20 World Cup this year — isn’t going to be easy either.

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For quite a while, Dustin Baker‘s work has been synonymous with Vikings Territory. Unfortunately, he’ll be stepping away, meaning the site — and company more broadly — is moving into a new era.

A Thank You to Dustin Baker

Baker’s output could be unheard of within the world of Minnesota Vikings writing. The man seemingly never tires of cranking out Vikings writing, keeping the website nourished with fresh headlines for readers hungry for any and all crumbs, morsels, and/or slivers of purple news.

I know that many of you appreciated that.

On behalf of everyone here, we have been fortunate to work alongside Dustin Baker and wish him well in whatever is coming in the future. Most prominently, we wish him well just as a regular ol’ guy who has a life beyond spilling digital ink. But, to be sure, whatever the digital ink looks like in his future, then we wish nothing but good things there, as well.

The promise here at Vikings Territory is to keep the Vikings content cooking. In a perfect world, there will still be a hearty helping of writing to consume.

Some readers came to the site specifically for Baker’s work. If that’s your thing, then by all means check out whatever he’s focusing on next. If, however, you’re interested in supporting both, then still getting your Vikings coverage from VT means a lot to us.

Vikings rookies arrived at TCO yesterday. Tomorrow, the rest of the squad will get to Eagan as training camp gets rolling. Buckle up. We’ve got you covered.

Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.

India’s interim head coach VVS Laxman said 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has shown remarkable growth in his understanding of the game over the last six months, adding that the teenager’s maturity has helped him handle pressure at the international level.Sooryavanshi finished India’s tour of Zimbabwe on a high, winning both the Player of the Match and Player of the Series awards after India completed a 3-0 sweep with a 35-run win in the third and final T20I on Sunday.“What is really impressive is the way he’s evolved as a person. The maturity level, the understanding, and the awareness over the last six months has actually skyrocketed. And that’s why he’s been able to handle tough situations,” Laxman said during the post-match press conference.The left-hander scored 151 runs in three innings at an average of 50.33, including 81 in the final match, which laid the platform for India’s victory.His performances came after a difficult debut series against England, where he managed scores of 13, 14 and 15 before being dropped for the fifth and final T20I as India lost the series 0-4.“He played Under-19 World Cup and in a matter of four to five months, he dominated the IPL. We know how tough IPL competition can be.“Taking on the best of bowlers from not only India but around the world, the way he evolved, the way he progressed as an international cricketer and he showed what kind of potential and class and talent he has,” said Laxman, who is serving as the interim head coach while Gautam Gambhir is on a break before India’s two-Test tour of Sri Lanka next month.Laxman also highlighted Sooryavanshi’s desire to improve, recalling how the youngster wanted to stay on the field despite suffering an injury during the final T20I.“We have to also remember that he’s just 15 years old. He’s a very young boy. And he himself wants to get better in every aspect of the game. And if you see it, even today’s game, he was taking the hot spot.“Even though he got injured, he still wanted to be on the field. But it was our physio who actually asked him to come out. So, that’s the eagerness and the earnestness he has to do and contribute in every possible way to the team,” said Laxman.When asked if he expected Sooryavanshi to recover so strongly after his difficult start in England, Laxman said he was not surprised because the youngster had already shown he could deal with pressure during the IPL.“It (performance) was on expected lines. Again, last year when he played for Rajasthan Royals for the first time, I think the way he handled pressure, because I believe that any IPL match is equivalent to an international match.“And at the age of 14 or 15, when you’re playing an IPL match, either you can be overawed by the big occasion or absorb and embrace the pressure. And I think he’s taken the second option where he embraced the pressure. So, I’m not at all surprised the way this series has gone,” said Laxman.

Here’s how India’s schedule looks on July 27 (Monday):

Athletics & Para Athletics

2:40 PM – Men’s 100m Heats (Gurindervir Singh)

3:00 PM – Men’s Long Jump Qualifying (Murali Sreeshankar, Lokesh Satyanathan)

3:55 PM – Men’s 110m Hurdles Heats (Tejas Shirse)

11:35 PM – Women’s Shot Put F57 Final (Sharmila Dhankar, Shilpa K Shyla)

11:40 PM – Men’s High Jump Final (Sarvesh Anil Kushare, Tejaswin Shankar, J Aadarsh Ram)

1:57 AM – Men’s 100m T38 Final (Rakeshbhai Bhatt, Shreyansh Trivedi)

2:15 AM – Men’s 110m Hurdles Final (Tejas Shirse – if qualified)

Boxing

4:45 PM – Men’s 60kg Round of 16 (Sachin Siwach vs William Hewitt, ENG)

6:00 PM – Men’s 80kg Round of 16 (Ankush vs Zalaan Jan, ANT)

10:30 PM – Women’s 51kg Round of 16 (Sakshi Choudhary vs Lethabo Modukanele, BOT)

1:00 AM – Men’s 70kg Round of 16 (Sumit Kundu vs Jon McConnell, NIR)

Weightlifting

5:30 PM – Women’s 53kg Final (Gyaneshwari Yadav)

8:00 PM – Women’s 58kg Final (Bindyarani Devi)

12:30 AM – Men’s 79kg Final (V Ajaya Babu)

Swimming & Para Swimming

3:00 PM – Men’s 200m Butterfly Heats (Sajan Prakash)

4:26 PM – Men’s 100m Breaststroke SB9 Heats (Swatik Patil)

12:02 AM – Men’s 100m Breaststroke SB9 Final (Swatik Patil – if qualified)

1:07 AM – Men’s 800m Freestyle Final / Fastest Heat (Aryan Nehra)

1:44 AM – Men’s 200m Butterfly Final (Sajan Prakash – if qualified)

Gymnastics & Bowls

6:15 PM – Artistic Gymnastics: Women’s Vault Final (Protistha Samanta)

10:05 PM – Lawn Bowls: Men’s Singles Sectional Play (Putul Sonowal vs Anwar Hamada, KEN)

Basketball

12:00 AM – Women’s Wheelchair 3×3 Basketball: India vs Nigeria (Group Stage)

On the second and final day of the 123.ie National Senior Track & Field Championships concluded in memorable fashion at Morton Stadium, Sophie O’Sullivan (Ballymore Cobh AC) and Benjamin Richardson (Waterford AC) both rewrote Championship Records with impressive victories, while Cian McPhillips (UCD AC) claimed his first outdoor senior title in the men’s 800m.

O’Sullivan breaks mother’s record

Ballymore Cobh AC’s Sophie O’Sullivan produced one of the performances of the weekend in winning the women’s 1500m title. She stormed to victory in a Championship Record of 4:05.62, breaking the previous mark of 4:07.09, set by her mother, Sonia O’Sullivan, in 1995. Laura Nicholson (Bandon AC) clocked 4:08.27 to take silver, while Jodie McCann (Dublin City Harriers AC) completed the podium with bronze in 4:09.54.

“I’m excited for the European Championships,” said Sophie O’Sullivan. “I’ll get back to training over the next couple of weeks and hopefully do something special.”

Sprint double for Richardson

Benjamin Richardson from Waterford AC stormed to the men’s 100m title in a Championship Record of 10.13 seconds to complete the weekend’s sprint double after taking the 100m on Saturday. Defending champion Bori Akinola (UCD AC) ran 10.21 seconds to win silver, while Seán Aigboboh (Tallaght AC) claimed the bronze medal in a time of 10.26 seconds.

2025 runner-up McPhillips takes gold this year

Cian McPhillips (UCD AC) produced a commanding display to win the first senior outdoor 800m title of his career, going one better than his runner-up finish 12 months ago with a classy victory in 1:47.76. Cillian Kirwan (Raheny Shamrock AC), despite a strong effort, had to settle for the silver medal in 1:49.36, while Bobby More (Bray Runners AC) completed the podium with bronze in 1:51.05.

Speaking after the race, McPhillips said:

“I’m getting there, it was a good run. It was a very frustrating start to the year. I had to get surgery on my jaw, had to get a cyst removed and four teeth taken out. I’ve only been back running properly since May and, thankfully, it’s been smooth sailing since. It was a bit depressing for a couple of months, but hopefully this trajectory can continue.”

Coscoran reclaims title

Andrew Coscoran (Star of the Sea AC) reclaimed the men’s 1500m title for the first time since 2021. He produced a superb performance to halt Cathal Doyle’s bid for a fifth consecutive outdoor crown. Coscoran crossed the line in 3:44.07 to prevail in one of the highest-quality races of the weekend, with Doyle (Clonliffe Harriers AC) taking silver in 3:44.79 and Nick Griggs (CNDR Track AC) completing a stellar podium in third with 3:45.02.

“It’s never easy in those tactical races; you just make the moves you think are right,” said Coscoran. “I had a really good turn of pace over the last 100 metres, which I’ve been working on. I’m flying in training again, I’ve turned things around and I’m in the perfect spot.”

Ciara Neville (Emerald AC) underlined her dominance in the women’s 100m, successfully defending her national title in 11.44 seconds to claim the third senior outdoor crown of her career. Mollie O’Reilly (Dundrum South Dublin AC) secured the silver medal in 11.63 seconds, while Molly Scott (St. Laurence O’Toole AC) completed the podium with bronze in 11.67 seconds.

Cork pair McElhinney & Allen win titles

Darragh McElhinney (Bantry AC) produced a decisive surge over the closing stages to reclaim the men’s 5,000m title, his first national outdoor crown in the event since 2020. The Bantry athlete clocked 13:31.71 after reeling in long-time leader Jack O’Leary (Mullingar Harriers AC) over the final 1,000 metres to take the Tom O’Riordan Memorial Cup. O’Leary held on bravely for silver in 13:35.54, while Brian Fay (Raheny Shamrock AC) claimed the bronze medal in 13:45.29.

Niamh Allen (Leevale AC) successfully defended her women’s 5,000m title in style, producing a personal best of 15:26.54 to retain her national crown. Fiona Everard (Bandon AC) went with her all the way, claiming silver in 15:30.34, while Danielle Donegan (Tullamore Harriers AC) completed the podium with brave bronze in 15:50.68.

Select Day 2 Results

5000m Women

Niamh ALLEN Leevale A.C. 15:26.54
Fiona EVERARD Bandon A.C. 15:30.34
Danielle DONEGAN Tullamore Harriers A.C. 15:50.68

Pole Vault Men

Michael KENT D.M.P. A.C. 4.60
Joshua FITZGERALD Leevale A.C. 4.30
Fionn NAUGHTON Leevale A.C. 4.15

Pole Vault Women

Clodagh WALSH Abbey Striders A.C. 3.65
Una BRICE Leevale A.C. 3.25
Meabh CORKERY Midleton A.C. 3.15

Long Jump Women

Ruby MILLET St. Abbans A.C. 6.47
Lauren CALLAGHAN Finn Valley A.C. 6.45
Elizabeth NDUDI Dundrum South Dublin A.C. 6.42

Hammer Throw Men

Rory Michael DEVANEY Raheny Shamrock A.C. 71.86
Seán MOCKLER Moycarkey Coolcroo A.C. 60.57
Simon GALLIGAN Clonliffe Harriers A.C. 58.36

Hammer Throw Women

Nicola TUTHILL U.C.D. A.C. 70.16
Margaret HAYDEN Tallaght A.C. 63.61
Kotryna PACERINSKAITE Fanahan Mc Sweeney A.C. 57.22

400mh Men

Fintan DEWHIRST Tír Chonaill A.C. 51.76
Jason O’REILLY Killarney Valley A.C. 53.52
Adam COURTNEY Ballymena and Antrim A.C.     53.75

400mh Women

Elle – Kate MCRAE Midleton A.C. 58.35 NU18R NU20R
Arlene CROSSAN Finn Valley A.C. 58.39
Cara MURPHY U.C.D. A.C. 58.98

Long Jump Men

Sam HEALY Leevale A.C. 7.61
Ryan ONOH Cork City A.C. 7.57
Shane HOWARD Bridevale A.C. 7.43

Discus Women

Anna GAVIGAN LSA A.C. 54.51
Tara LAVERTY Carrick Aces A.C. 48.16
Holly WRIGHT Crookstown Millview A.C. 42.64

100mh Women

Sarah LAVIN Emerald A.C. 13.34
Amy TIMONEY Finn Valley A.C. 14.11
Abigail FARRELL Donore Harriers A.C. 14.13

110mh Men

Adam NOLAN St. Laurence. O’Toole A.C. 15.01
Reuben MCCARTHY St. Laurence. O’Toole A.C. 15.95

5000m Men

Darragh MCELHINNEY Bantry A.C. 13:31.71
Jack O’LEARY Mullingar Harriers A.C. 13:35.54
Brian FAY Raheny Shamrock A.C. 13:45.29

100m Women

Ciara NEVILLE Emerald A.C. 11.44
Mollie O’REILLY Dundrum South Dublin A.C. 11.63
Molly SCOTT St. Laurence. O’Toole A.C. 11.67

100m Men

Benjamin RICHARDSON Waterford A.C. 10.13 CR
Bori AKINOLA U.C.D. A.C. 10.21
Seán AIGBOBOH Tallaght A.C. 10.26

800m Women

Madison MOONEY Tullamore Harriers A.C. 2:04.38
Emma MOORE Galway City Harriers A.C. 2:04.59
Alex O’NEILL Limerick Track A.C. 2:05.50

800m Men

Cian MC PHILLIPS U.C.D. A.C. 1:47.76
Cillian KIRWAN Raheny Shamrock A.C. 1:49.36
Bobby MORE Bray Runners A.C. 1:51.05

400 Women

Rachel MCCANN North Down A.C. 52.93
Sophie BECKER Raheny Shamrock A.C. 53.23
Michelle DUGGAN U.C.D. A.C. 53.72

400m Men

Jack RAFTERY Donore Harriers A.C. 46.12
Andrew EGAN Galway City Harriers A.C.46.16
Seán DOGGETT Athenry A.C. 46.89

1500m Women

Sophie O’SULLIVAN Ballymore Cobh A.C. 4:05.62 CR
Laura NICHOLSON Bandon A.C. 4:08.27
Jodie MC CANN Dublin City Harriers A.C. 4:09.54

1500m Men

Andrew COSCORAN Star of the Sea A.C. 3:44.07
Cathal DOYLE Clonliffe Harriers A.C. 3:44.79
Nick GRIGGS CNDR Track A.C. 3:45.02

LiveScores Now Available at IrishScores.com

LeBron James has made what he promised to be his “last decision.” Now, the focus turns to the next step in Bronny James’ young NBA career.

Bronny James’ status with the Los Angeles Lakers became clear in late June, when his $2.3 million salary for next season became fully guaranteed after the team declined to waive him before a deadline. 

A day later, LeBron James informed the Lakers he planned to continue his career elsewhere in what will be an unprecedented 24th NBA season.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James interacts with son Bronny James during a game against the Boston Celtics at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles Jan. 23, 2025. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)

Bronny was drafted by the Lakers in 2024 and became part of the first father-son duo in NBA history. LeBron has not shied away from how much it meant to share an NBA locker room with Bronny, a milestone that became even more significant when they played together in competitive games later into this past season. 

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That history made it natural for some to wonder whether the James family would want that connection to continue.

But Rich Paul, the CEO of Klutch Sports and the agent who represents both players, cautioned that LeBron’s decision does not mean Bronny will make a uniform change.

“They are not a package deal,” Paul told ESPN. The report added there is “no current plan or request for Bronny Janes to join his father.”

LeBron Jamesof the Los Angeles Lakers during a timeout against the Golden State Warriors in the second half of a preseason NBA game at Chase Center Oct. 5, 2025, in San Francisco. (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

PHILADELPHIA ATHLETES, INCLUDING NEW TEAMMATES, REACT TO LEBRON JAMES JOINING 76ERS: ‘WELCOME TO THE CITY’

All signs now point to the Lakers keeping Bronny James in Los Angeles and allowing him to continue developing under head coach JJ Redick. The backcourt will be led by Luka Dončić, with Austin Reaves expected to remain a key piece.

Bronny will also have several young players and offseason additions around him as the Lakers reshape the roster. Adou Thiero and Dalton Knecht are set to return, while center Walker Kessler and free-agent additions Sandro Mamukelashvili, Quentin Grimes and Collin Sexton could also factor into the rotation.

Bronny James (9) and LeBron James (23) of the Los Angeles Lakers during a game against the Utah Jazz April 12, 2026, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. (Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images)

Bronny appeared in 42 games last season, an increase from the 27 times he played at the NBA level during his rookie campaign. He averaged 2.9 points per game in 2025-26.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Two of James’ former teams, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat, had been floated as possible landing spots for the 41-year-old, four-time NBA champion. James said in a statement posted to social media that his decision came down to his pursuit of a fifth NBA title.

“This is my last decision. I’m not going for money. I’m not going for family. What am I really playing for at this point? I still want to sacrifice. I still want to work. I still want to grind. I still want to compete, to win and to have a chance at the feeling of winning another championship,” James wrote on X.

“I believe I can help make the Philadelphia 76ers a championship team and I am so excited to energize a new fan base and start this incredible journey one last time. Thank you LA. Miami I’ll forever love and Northeast Ohio will always home!”

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

No, Anthony Joshua’s win over Kristian Prenga was not fixed. But his fight with Tyson Fury might be broken beyond repair.

When Joshua cascaded to the canvas inside 20 seconds on Saturday, there was a brief feeling that his super-fight with Fury was collapsing him with. But barely five minutes later, Joshua was laughing off this scare as Prenga’s head snapped against the bottom ropes, leaving the helpless heavyweight to fade back into boxing obscurity as his consciousness faded, too.

Suggestions that the outcome was fixed (and there are a strange number of them) should not be entertained for a second. Every measurement of pain and damage in those chaotic few minutes were real. That should not need explaining.

Yet the narrative of the fight flipped almost as quickly as the narrative around Joshua vs Fury, which was being touted 24 hours earlier as a bout that was destined to go “AJ”’s way – such was the lacklustre nature of Fury’s win over Mariusz Wach. Fury was victorious after seven rounds in Thailand (although the fight was broadcast nowhere), but a 46-year-old Wach was no litmus test for the abilities of the “Gypsy King”.

Just as he did against Arslanbek Makhmudov in April, Fury looked comfortable but nothing more. Still, in fairness, comfortable is better than what Joshua experienced in Saudi Arabia.

So the relevant pages will read “Fury def. Wach via seventh-round TKO (3:00); Joshua def. Prenga via second-round KO (2:43)” – a removal of the final hurdles between the British heavyweights. However, the issue is that Fury and Joshua are certainly not speeding down the track to a November showdown at Wembley.

The 2am GMT ring walks proposed by Saudi matchmaker Turki Alalshikh were already farcical, but now there is talk that Joshua’s contract dictates a showdown on British soil, whereas Fury’s allows for a meeting in the US.

Furthermore, there must be conversations behind closed doors about whether Joshua is in the right state mentally to return to the ring in November.

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In other words, two hurdles were dismantled at the weekend (laboriously, rather than being battered down), but two more might have arisen.

Do not be surprised if Joshua vs Fury is delayed until 2027. Do not be surprised if more warm-up fights are suggested. Do not be surprised if we never see the big one, even if those involved with the contracts might bristle at that suggestion.

Do not forget: Joshua vs Fury has been signed before, and it still fell through.

Against Prenga, Joshua was already making a remarkably quick comeback after surviving a car crash in December, a tragic accident in Nigeria that killed two of his teammates. For all of Joshua’s admirable determination, for all of the soul searching, for all of the time spent training with his old rival Oleksandr Usyk in Ukraine, the blunt truth is that he was dropped by the first meaningful shot Prenga threw.

Whether Joshua’s mind or chin is not right, either is cause for concern against Fury. Then again, the weekend’s fights led one boxer to tell The Independent that Joshua vs Fury could be a case of “chin is gone” versus “legs are gone”.

There was already a consensus that Fury vs Joshua, should it take place in November, would be occurring several years too late. But at various points in the last few years, this writer would have told you that each boxer might have diminished to a similar degree, and not to an excessive one, making the match-up an alluring prospect still. Of course it would have been best to see them clash at the heights of their powers, but all you really needed was to believe that both had a realistic chance of winning – and the odds have shifted time and again over the years.

But now, Joshua vs Fury really might come down to who has declined more severely, to the point that it is no longer an enticing proposition.

It’s not unusual for heavyweights to box into their 40s, but some of the all-time greats have looked closer to their primes at that age than Joshua and Fury do at 36 and 37.

So, it’s not just that the former champions aren’t speeding down the track to their long-awaited fight, as mentioned above; either man might run out of road before it arrives.

Each time a step towards Joshua vs Fury is taken, the fight inches further out of reach, like some sort of Sisyphean punishment. The fight, as a concept rather than an actual sporting contest, has become an endless, hellish loop. I can’t be the only one who wants out.