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.

Anthony Joshua overcame adversity to secure a second-round win upon his comeback on Saturday night, and fellow British former heavyweight world champion Frank Bruno has offered his thoughts on Joshua’s performance.

Entering the bout as a huge favourite against the lesser-known Kristian Prenga, ‘AJ’ was expected to dispatch of the Albanian early – and that he did, but the official result of a second-round stoppage triumph failed to reflect the nature of the contest.

Joshua was dramatically knocked down on two occasions in the opening round in Jeddah, with the 36-year-old’s punch resistance, of lack of, seemingly evident from the get-go and giving him a sense of vulnerability throughout.

Still, Joshua, responded in round two and scored an emphatic knockout to alleviate concerns that his grudge match with Tyson Fury may never take place, becoming the latest to prove the accuracy of the age-old boxing adage that ‘power is the last thing to go’.

On X, Bruno shared his opinion on Joshua’s ring return, believing that it has set up a meeting with ‘The Gypsy King’ perfectly, whilst admitting that it was ‘not Joshua’s best day in the office’.

“Morning, I suppose you want to know what I think of AJ’s fight, best summed up as “Not the best day in the office but all ended okay!” 

“It has set up the clash with Tyson Fury perfectly. The armchair experts question some of the opponents that are not known, I know this from my experience, they can and do surprise you and AJ’s opponent, Prenga, proved the point. 

“Never underestimate your opponent, they have nothing to lose.”

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Fury and Joshua are expected to collide in November, with New York City understood to be the controversial frontrunner as far as the potential location is concerned.

Sherrone Moore, the ex-Michigan Wolverines head coach who was fired after his affair with an executive assistant, and his wife are trying to leave town.

Moore has listed his Ann Arbor, Michigan home for $1.7 million, according to Realtor.com. The listing is about a 15-minute drive to the university.

The Detroit News identified the home on Walnut Ridge Drive as Moore’s. The five-bedroom, 5.5-bathroom residence has a half-acre of property and was last sold at $1.3 million in 2023.

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Former University of Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore and his wife, Kelli Moore, walk into the courtroom of Judge J. Cedric Simpson at 14A-1 District Court in Ann Arbor on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, for his sentencing. (USA TODAY Network)

Moore was on Jim Harbaugh’s staff that year, serving as the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach before serving as acting head coach for one game due to Harbaugh’s suspension.

Moore would later take over as Michigan’s head coach, getting the promotion after Harbaugh took the Los Angeles Chargers’ head coach position following a national championship-winning campaign.

Moore has since been sentenced to 18 months of probation and spared jail time after pleading no contest to two misdemeanors, which came after his actions post-firing.

SHERRONE MOORE’S ALLEGED MISTRESS RIPS SENTENCE THAT KEPT FORMER MICHIGAN COACH OUT OF JAIL

Moore allegedly drove to Shriver’s house, forced his way in and threatened to take his own life with a butter knife and scissors after the latter tried ending their affair.

If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Shriver disclosed the relationship to Michigan officials, ultimately leading to his firing.

Kelli Moore, the coach’s wife, was by his side in court this past April, where she also wrote a letter to the judge presiding over the case, asking for leniency in her husband’s sentencing.

“There is a certain irony in a lot of this – the person quite frankly, Mr. Moore, who is saving you from the full wrath of this court is the one you betrayed,” Judge Cedric Simpson said to Moore, referencing his wife also stating her will to stay in the marriage. “I don’t know where your wife, Kelli, finds her strength.

Former University of Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore and his wife Kelli Moore listen as lawyer Ellen Michaels talks to the media after his suspended sentence ruling in the courtroom of Judge J. Cedric Simpson at 14A-1 District Court in Ann Arbor on Tuesday, April 14, 2026. (USA TODAY Network)

“When all the circumstances are happening and they’re happening to her and she’s absorbing them in real time, she does not once lose her focus. She not once bats an eye to sort of doubt you. She not once wants something terrible to happen for you.”

Now, the Moore family is looking to recover from the scandal, and where exactly they wish to move to if they sell the home remains to be seen.

It’s hard to think, however, that Moore will land another coaching job in football despite his expertise.

Moore was also ordered to pay just over $1,000 in fines as part of his plea deal. He also must continue mental health treatment and may not use alcohol or marijuana, may not have any weapons, and was ordered to have no contact with the alleged victim.

Former University of Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore and his wife, Kelli Moore, hug after his suspended sentence ruling in Judge J. Cedric Simpson’s courtroom at 14A-1 District Court in Ann Arbor on Tuesday, April 14, 2026. (USA TODAY Network)

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Moore went 16-8 as Michigan’s head coach — 8-5 in Year One, 7-3 last season. He missed a pair of games due to a suspension from a sign-stealing investigation.

Fox News’ Ryan Morik contributed to this report.

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Hanuma Vihari has questioned Team India’s decision to continue backing Abhishek Sharma despite his poor run of form in the ongoing T20I series against Zimbabwe. The former India batter believes the selectors have applied different standards to Abhishek and Sanju Samson, especially after Samson lost his place despite performing well in major tournaments.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Vihari pointed out that Samson was dropped after a few poor games before the T20 World Cup but returned strongly to become one of India’s standout performers.

He said, “Before the World Cup, Sanju Samson did not perform in five games and lost his spot in the starting 11. He then made a comeback and became Player of the Tournament. In that same tournament, how many runs did Abhishek Sharma make?”

He also highlighted Abhishek’s recent numbers, saying, “In the UK series, apart from one fifty, there were no scores at all. Not even 20s and 30s, no significant score. One fifty in the last eight matches. If you include the World Cup, three half-centuries in the last 18 matches.”

Vihari argued that Samson proved himself when it mattered by scoring three consecutive fifties during India’s T20 World Cup-winning campaign, but still lost his place in the side as youngster Vaibhav Sooryavanshi emerged as a preferred option.

Questioning the selection policy, he said, “How many matches Samson played in the World Cup? Three. And fifties in all three. Abhishek’s highest score in the five matches is 16. Why is no one talking about it? When it comes to Samson, they say he is inconsistent. Fair enough. But he can win high-pressure matches on his day.”

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Vihari concluded by adding, “Abhishek is a player with a lot of hype, but Samson is also equal. He has also performed in the IPL. Why different rules for different players?”

Man Utd have announced the signing of a young goalkeeper, who last played for Championship club Swansea.

Manchester United have announced the signing of young goalkeeper Kit Margetson on a free transfer. Margetson’s contract at Swansea City expired at the end of last season, opening the door for United to make an offer.

The 20-year-old had played for Swansea since Under-15, meaning the Championship club will receive a compensation fee for his development.

Margetson will initially join up with United’s U21 team with a view towards pushing for first team opportunities, but United’s senior goalkeeper department includes Senne Lammens, Karl Darlow and Tom Heaton.

United signed Darlow from Leeds this summer for the role of second-choice goalkeeper.

The club’s signing announcement of Margetson read: “Manchester United have agreed the signing of exciting young goalkeeper Kit Margetson, subject to registration.

“The 20-year-old was most recently at Swansea City, a club he’d been with since under-15s. Last season, he had his first taste of senior football on loan at Connah’s Quay Nomads and kept 10 clean sheets in 34 appearances, helping the Welsh side to qualify for European competition.

“Margetson has also earned youth international caps for Wales and made his Under-21s debut against Belarus in March. Everyone at United would like to welcome Kit to the club and wish him the very best of luck for the future.”

United are expected to sell Radek Vitek after his successful loan in the Championship with Bristol City. Vitek wants to play regular football, and United will insist on sell-on clauses, potentially including a buy-back, in any sale.

Altay Bayindir is also set to leave Old Trafford. The Turkey international was given an extended post-World Cup break.

The signings of Margetson (20) and Charlie Hardy (16) at academy level point to departures from the current goalkeeper union at youth level.

Magomed Ankalaev didn’t set the stage alight with his performance against Bogdan Guskov at UFC Abu Dhabi. The Russian made his UFC return after losing the light heavyweight gold to Alex Pereira in his previous fight, and ultimately finished his opponent in the final round.

While the result was in Ankalaev’s favor, many were’t impressed with his performance. The fight was a little boring, and the crowd also booed the clash during the latter rounds.

However, former UFC champion and current commentator Daniel Cormier, didn’t blame Ankalaev for the fight being boring. ‘DC lauded the former champion for changing his tactics midway through the fight.

While speaking on his YouTube channel, Cormier said (h/t MMA Junkie):

“We were judging him pretty harshly in the fight watching, because it was a slow affair. But then midway through the second round he realized Bogdan Guskov was not engaging with Magomed Ankalaev. Ankalaev was pursuing him. He was trying to make it a fun fight. Guskov was unwilling to do that by backing up and skirting the outside of the octagon.”

Cormier also touched upon the loss to Pereira, and claimed that Ankalaev had made major changes to his game:

“Ankalaev lost his belt in devastating fashion to Alex Pereira at UFC 320. He’s been gone for a very long time, said he made a bunch of changes to his training camp, and honestly, his aggressiveness in the octagon showed he felt like he could get a finish, or he’s done something differently to try to pursue finishes.”

Cormier then brought up that Ankalaev’s win could have set him up for a fight against Carlos Ulberg, the champion:

“Ankalaev getting that finish might have legitimately gotten him another opportunity to fight for the UFC championship against the new champion, Carlos Ulberg, when he comes back. He says he wants to be back early next year.”

Cormier also touched upon how the landscape of the light heavyweight division had changed. Former champions Alex Pereira and Jamahal Hill have moved up to heavyweight while Ulberg, the current division king, is out with an ACL injury and won’t be back in action for a while.

Magomed Ankalaev wants trilogy with Alex Pereira

While Daniel Cormier believes Magomed Ankalaev could fight for the gold after his UFC Abu Dhabi win, the Russian has Alex Pereira on his mind.

The Brazilian knocked Ankalaev out cold in their last meeting, and the former champion wants to get his revenge on Pereira.

Speaking to the press after his win, Ankalaev called out Pereira:

“One more thing I’d like to say before I forget. There’s somebody who calls himself ‘Chama’, that put a picture of me up and said something like, ‘What, are you still alive?’ Well, if he wants to come down here, and if he wants to take on this fight, I’m sure the UFC also will be very happy to make that fight happen.”