Eddie Hearn has addressed Tyson Fury’s accusations that Anthony Joshua is attempting to pull out of their long-awaited domestic dustup.

While having signed separate deals to square off in November, it would appear that both ‘The Gypsy King’ and ‘AJ’ have agreed to different terms.

The location, for instance, has become a point of fierce discussion, with Hearn having insisted that, as per Joshua’s contract, their fight must take place in the UK.

Fury, on the other hand, seems to have expressed no preference and is happy to accommodate Netflix’s request for an event at Madison Square Garden, New York.

It would also appear that Hearn, after digging his heels in for the last few weeks, is now coming to terms with the likelihood of a stateside showdown.

The Matchroom promoter has, after all, presented an addendum to Sela – the Saudi Arabia event organisers and financers – effectively listing a series of demands on behalf of Joshua.

If these conditions are met, then the 36-year-old is likely to travel to New York, yet Fury has nonetheless expressed doubt that their fight will even take place.

In response, Hearn has taken to social media and reminded the 38-year-old that there are existing contracts.

“[Fury’s comments are] all good fun but [lack] any substance, as usual. When he says ‘it looks like AJ has pulled out of the fight’ – we can’t pull out of the fight because we have signed a contract.

“We follow contracts, so we are just waiting on the date.”

While Hearn attempts to resist a location change, the amending of contracts could see Joshua return to the scene of his seventh-round stoppage defeat to Andy Ruiz Jr in 2019.

There are 15 games on today’s MLB schedule. Four will air on FOX or FS1: Nationals at Marlins nationally on FS1, followed by a regionalized FOX window featuring Pirates at Dodgers, Giants at Red Sox and Cubs at Mariners. The Dodgers and Cubs enter the weekend with two of baseball’s strongest records, while Boston is above .500. Viewers will receive one of the three FOX matchups based on their market and should check local listings. The FOX and FS1 coverage available in each market is streaming live and on demand on FOX One.

MLB Schedule for August 22 on FOX Networks

Nationals at Marlins

Washington and Miami enter the weekend clustered near the middle of the National League standings. Nationals probable starter Jake Irvin (2-7, 5.80 ERA) faces Marlins probable starter Eury Pérez (6-9, 3.23 ERA).

Pirates at Dodgers

• Time: 7:15 p.m. ET
• TV: FOX (regionalized window; check local listings)
• Stream: Watch 3 days free on FOX One
• Venue: UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles enters the weekend with one of baseball’s top records, while Pittsburgh is trying to climb into the National League postseason race. Pirates probable starter Jared Jones (2-5, 4.78 ERA) matches up with Dodgers probable starter Tarik Skubal (7-7, 2.85 ERA).

Giants at Red Sox

• Time: 7:15 p.m. ET
• TV: FOX (regionalized window; check local listings)
• Stream: Watch 3 days free on FOX One
• Venue: Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts

Boston enters the weekend above .500 and in the American League postseason chase, while San Francisco is looking to gain ground in the National League. Giants probable starter Blade Tidwell (0-0, 4.33 ERA) faces Red Sox probable starter Sonny Gray (15-3, 2.65 ERA).

Cubs at Mariners

• Time: 7:15 p.m. ET
• TV: FOX (regionalized window; check local listings)
• Stream: Watch 3 days free on FOX One
• Venue: T-Mobile Park, Seattle, Washington

Chicago brings one of the National League’s strongest records into Seattle, while the Mariners are trying to move back into the American League postseason picture. Cubs probable starter David Peterson (7-7, 5.29 ERA) faces Mariners probable starter Bryan Woo (9-8, 4.10 ERA).

Other August 22 MLB Games

• 1:35 p.m. ET: Blue Jays at Yankees (Rogers SportsNet, YES TV – New York)
• 2:10 p.m. ET: Braves at Brewers (Braves Vision, Milwaukee Brewers TV Network)
• 6:05 p.m. ET: Cardinals at Phillies (NBC Sports – Philadelphia, St. Louis Cardinals TV Network)
• 7:05 p.m. ET: Angels at Rangers (Angels Broadcast Television, RSN)
• 7:05 p.m. ET: Rays at Orioles (Mid-Atlantic Sports Network, Tampa Bay Rays TV Network)
• 7:10 p.m. ET: Mets at White Sox (SportsNet New York, Chicago Sports Network)
• 7:10 p.m. ET: Athletics at Astros (NBC Sports – California, Space City Home Network)
• 7:15 p.m. ET: Tigers at Royals (Detroit SportsNet, Kansas City Royals TV Network)
• 8:10 p.m. ET: Reds at Diamondbacks (Arizona Diamondbacks, Cincinnati Reds TV Network)
• 8:10 p.m. ET: Guardians at Rockies (CleGuardians.TV, Colorado Rockies)
• 8:40 p.m. ET: Twins at Padres (San Diego Padres, Twins.TV)

How to Watch MLB Games

FS1 carries Nationals at Marlins nationally. FOX’s 7:15 p.m. ET window is regionalized, so viewers will receive Pirates at Dodgers, Giants at Red Sox or Cubs at Mariners based on their market. Check local listings for the FOX game in your area. The FOX and FS1 coverage available in each market is streaming live and on demand on FOX One

The Tigers had a good mix of their EFL stalwarts and new faces in their opening game.

Only three of their 11 new signings started – including their two most expensive transfers, with Greece goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis and Senegal defender Mendy costing more than £20m.

Swedish winger Elliot Stroud was also given a start – with Australia defender Lucas Herrington and ex-Newcastle full-back Matt Targett also coming on for bows.

By contrast, the player who crossed the free-kick for Mendy to nod in was Regan Slater, who played for the club on loan in League One, and then cost just £50,000 to sign from Sheffield United.

The collective effort impressed BBC pundits and former England captains Wayne Rooney and Alan Shearer.

“Hull’s shape was really good,” said ex-United striker Rooney. “They stuck to the job and worked hard which is what they’re going to have to do to try and stay in this league.

“And obviously, it looked like they identified a weakness in United in putting balls into the box and utilised that really well.

“All they can do is try to take as many points at home as they can. It’s a great start.”

Shearer added: “Hull have been absolutely outstanding. They’ve been miles the better team.”

Already the predictable talk of whether Hull could even break Derby’s record low of 11 Premier League points in 2007-08 has died down.

And Jakirovic said this result might also make them more appealing to potential signings before the end of the transfer window.

“Even now, players we wanted, it might make their decision easier. We have to continue like this,” he added.

“We had a lot of problems because we made four substitutions in our defensive line which is unusual. You have to play, you have to fight and maybe now we need more players.”

The 32-year-old Ajayi, who netted the opener after Oli McBurnie’s shot had been tipped on to the post, said: “Three points, a goal and a clean sheet – I can’t ask for more.

“We’ve tried to block out the outside noise and focused on what’s inside the building and what the gaffer is telling us.

“We came out the blocks firing, had a really good start. All in all a really good performance and something to build on for the rest of the season.

“We know what we have in the squad, it was about proving that to ourselves and everyone else.

“We have a lot of experience in the team and it’s a good blend of young and old. We’re going to need that for the rest of the season.”

Michael Carrick was asked about Patrick Dorgu’s half-time substitution after Man Utd’s defeat against Hull on Saturday.

Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick has no concerns about Patrick Dorgu following his half-time substitution against Hull on Saturday.

Dorgu had attempted three shots by half-time at the MKM Stadium, which was more than any other player, but they lacked quality and Carrick replaced him with Marcus Rashford for the second half.

The Denmark international was signed to play as a left wing-back in Ruben Amorim’s system, but he has been relocated to the wing by Carrick.

Dorgu has exclusively played as an attacker during Carrick’s tenure, but he is now set to face competition from Rashford, who offered more in the second half against Hull.

When Carrick was asked if he would have to put an arm around Dorgu following his half-time substitution, he said: “Pat’s fine, we love him to bits. He’s a fantastic player, Pat. He’s a great character.

“He’s a big part of what we do, and he will be. So it was just one of those decisions. It’s nothing personal. Sometimes you’ve just got to make them, you know, trying to do something a little bit different.”

United could not find a way to score after the change and Benjamin Sesko looked isolated when he was introduced with just over 20 minutes remaining.

“We changed things around a little bit in the second half and we kept trying to find a different way, a little bit of finding the spark. It happens, it does happen, it has happened before,” said Carrick.

“We’ve just got to keep finding those solutions, you know, and a little bit is that Ben’s been out for quite some time and hasn’t trained an awful lot. So there are kind of little bits of reasons for it.

“Bryan [Mbeumo] has been really good for a lot of pre-season and was one of our better players again today.”

Do the Vikings want game-changing speed at RB3? Or, perhaps, is there a desire for somebody who is more understated but still intriguing?

Vikings runner Zavier Scott doesn’t generate a ton of fanfare. In fact, it would be quite easy to forget that Scott locked down the team’s RB3 job last year. Every so often, Kevin O’Connell cooked up unique plays to lean on the runner’s background as a receiver. Does that desire for a well-built, versatile depth RB continue into what’s looking like a fascinating Vikings season in 2026?

Vikings Runner Zavier Scott:
Versatile, Works Hard, & Boasts a Nice Build

Zavier Scott didn’t set the world on fire in 2025. However, he did get involved, at least in a modest manner.

The depth skill guy was involved in sixteen games. Added together, Scott ran the ball 32 times for 114 yards and 0 touchdowns. Averaging 3.6 yards per carry isn’t great. He then turned 16 targets into 14 catches for 98 yards and 1 touchdown. Again, not sizzling, but a pretty high ratio of targets turning into catches even within the acknowledgement that averaging 7 yards per reception isn’t a terrific number.

Oddly enough, Scott didn’t earn a huge workload on specials. His 105 snaps on offense stood alongside 149 snaps on special teams. Seeing him prove more capable of chewing up special teams work would do much to help his chance of sticking around.

Check out what Lance Zierlein had to say on the now Vikings runner going into the 2023 NFL Draft: “Scott is a fun watch on tape thanks to his versatility and the passion he shows on the field. He’s a big athlete who plays fast and with good determination, but he will be much more intriguing for teams with creative play-callers who are looking for multi-dimensional prospects.”

Further from Zierlein: “While he’s not a pure running back, he does possess running back talent and the same can be said about him as a receiver, although he needs much more polish. His toughness with the ball in his hands and potential roster flexibility make him worthy of Day 3 consideration.”

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The draft arrived in 2023 arrived and nobody took the plunge. So, Scott got scooped up by the Colts. Going over to Indianapolis involved earning $45,000 in guaranteed money, per Over the Cap. For context, that was the same year that Minnesota onboarded Ivan Pace, doing so for $236,000 as guaranteed money in the linebacker’s deal.

What then followed was practice squad work for the Colts before going to the same assignment with the Vikings in 2024. There was then a full-time job on the Vikings’ roster for the 2025 season.

Part of what’s making life tough for Scott is the presence of Demond Claiborne. Neither of Aaron Jones nor Jordan Mason got shown the door. All that was done to adjust the RB room was to bring a 6th-Round speed demon to town. Claiborne isn’t perfect but he’s got wheels that can’t be taught. Quite possibly, the rookie runner is the Vikings’ fastest player.

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At Vikings training camp, Zavier Scott had quiet moments of success.

In one special teams rep I saw, Scott clearly won the 1-v-1 competition. On another occasion, I saw him hanging behind at practice unusually long for extra work. And then there’s just the basic criteria that Zierlein highlights in his scouting report and then was evident in Minnesota’s ’25 season. Scott boasts good size and has soft mitts. Coaches will be intrigued, especially those with a penchant for tossing a curveball here and there.

Look for Zavier Scott later on today. Not only will the catches and runs count but so, too, will his abilities as a pass blocker. Keeping the QB’s jersey clean will do wonders for his chance to make the final roster.

Scott wears the #36 jersey. The 27-year-old depth runner stands at 6’1″ and weighs roughly 220 pounds.

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

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Angers and LOSC Lille get underway in the 2026-27 French Ligue 1 campaign when they square off at the Stade Raymond Kopa on Sunday. Having won the four meetings between the teams since August 2024, Davide Ancelotti’s men will be aiming to extend their two-year streak against the hosts and secure a seventh straight league victory on the road.

It was another forgettable league display from Angers last season as they secured a 13th-placed finish in the Ligue 1 standings, just four points above the relegation playoff spot.

Stephane Gilli’s side lost 16 of their 34 league games, while picking up nine wins and nine draws to collect 36 points, equalling their total points tally from the 2024-25 season, when they finished 14th in the table.

Angers head into Sunday’s season curtain-raiser without a win in nine straight Ligue 1 matches (4D 5L), but they will draw inspiration from their solid display in pre-season, where they picked up two wins and two draws from their five friendly games.

Elsewhere, Lille enjoyed an impressive league campaign last season, when they clinched third place in the Ligue 1 standings to secure a return to the UEFA Champions League for the first time since 2022.

Ancelotti’s side picked up 18 wins and seven draws from their 34 league matches to collect 61 points, just two points above fifth-placed Olympique Marseille in the Europa League qualifying places.

Like Angers, Lille head into Sunday’s season opener off the back of a solid pre-season campaign, where they picked up two wins and two draws from five matches.

Angers vs LOSC Lille Head-To-Head and Key Numbers

• With nine wins from the last 21 meetings between the sides, Lille boast a slight upper hand in the history of this fixture.
• Angers have picked up two fewer wins in that time, while the spoils have been shared on five occasions.
• Lille have won each of their last four games against Angers, scoring six goals and keeping four clean sheets since a 1-0 loss in April 2023.
• Angers are without a win in six straight Ligue 1 home games, losing three and picking up three draws since a 1-0 victory over Toulouse back in February.

Angers vs LOSC Lille Prediction

While they will aim to continue their form from pre-season into the new league campaign, Angers will need to be at their best against a well-drilled Lille side who have won their last four encounters.

Ancelotti’s side are on a run of six consecutive away wins in the league, and we see them coming away with the desired result here.

Prediction: Angers 0-2 LOSC Lille

Angers vs LOSC Lille Betting Tips

Tip 1: Result – Lille to win

Tip 2: Over 2.5 goals – No (There have been fewer than three goals scored in the last eight meetings between the two teams)

Tip 3: Over 4.5 cards – No (There have also been fewer than five bookings in four of the last five meetings between the two teams)