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Derek Chisora vs Deontay Wilder now official with date, venue and broadcaster announced

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Derek Chisora and Deontay Wilder will each fight their 50th bout on April 4 in London.

The pair of heavyweights have had extremely different trajectories in the sport, with Chisora’s first 49 coming against some mega names all the way back to Vitali Klitschko and David Haye but with no world title success.

Wilder held the WBC Heavyweight World title for almost half a decade, stopping every man who challenged him for it, but his first truly elite opponent was Tyson Fury and, following a draw in their first meeting, he was stopped in the second and third fights. Since then, while Chisora has been enjoying an Indian summer with wins over Gerald Washington, Joe Joyce and Otto Wallin, Wilder has lost to Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang, and looked poor doing it. His comeback win over Tyrell Herndon last time out did little to convince fans he still deserves a seat at the top table.

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Still, ‘The Bronze Bomber’ has highlighted issues outside of the ropes as the reason behind his below par performances, and has promised to deliver fireworks on this encounter with Chisora. Following very public final talks and videos of contracts being signed, the fight is now official.

Under the MF Pro banner — fronted by Kalle Sauerland and internet sensation KSI — alongside Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions, the pair will top a bill at London’s O2 Arena on April 4, streaming live on DAZN. Viddal Riley, MF Pro’s first major signing, could feature on the undercard.

Before they share a ring, Wilder and Chisora have something else in common — they have both faced Tyson Fury three times. For his money, ‘The Gypsy King’ is backing his countryman by KO. Whatever happens, one must believe the loser is set for retirement.

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Jordan Spieth frustrated by ‘random’ mental miscues

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PGA: Valspar Championship - Second RoundMar 20, 2026; Palm Harbor, Florida, USA; Jordan Spieth during the second round of the Valspar Championship golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images

Jordan Spieth walked off the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook on Friday just five shots off the morning lead at the Valspar Championship, but still very disappointed in his 1-over-par round of 70.

That’s because Spieth had a potentially far better round unfold over his final few holes for the second consecutive day in Palm Harbor, Fla.

Spieth was at 5 under for the tournament before he bogeyed his final two holes. That included leaving his third shot in a green-side bunker on the ninth — his final hole of the day — and Spieth had to hit a 9-foot putt to avoid a closing double. That followed an opening round in which Spieth was 5 under before suffering a double-bogey and bogey over his final three holes.

The result is that after 36 holes, Spieth feels like he is playing well but now also has significant work cut out for him in order to be in contention come Sunday.

“I’m extremely frustrated when I don’t get the most out of my round because I’m playing better than I’m scoring on a week like this week,” he said. “That’s the frustrating part. But I would much rather be on that side of it than anywhere else.”

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Spieth has now made six of seven cuts so far in 2026. However, he has yet to post a top-10 finish, with his best result a T11 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. While he feels his game is in excellent shape all around, Spieth acknowledges that claiming his first PGA Tour victory in four years will require eliminating the untimely miscues that regularly pop up in his rounds.

“I think I’m driving it in the top 20, I think I’m striking it in the top 20, I think my short game’s in the top 20, I think my putting’s in the top 20,” he said. “I’ve made some bad decisions or hit some wrong tee shots at the wrong time or missed contact that have cost me from having a chance to win three or four times and finishing where I finish.

“So it’s a good place to be. Those are normally easier things to solve, they’re just more reps and I’m in a confident place.”

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Spieth likely has at most six competitive rounds remaining before the Masters next month. He will skip the Texas Children’s Houston Open before likely playing in the Valero Texas Open the first weekend in April.

He was asked if most of the mistakes are mental miscues.

“Yeah, or just a contact mishap, which is an execution error, but it’s like random. Like if I toed one on this hole I would be fine, but I toed it on the wrong hole or I necked it on the wrong hole. Just like random little stuff. I had three plugged lies in bunkers today off pretty good iron shots that if I was playing a different wind — just random stuff.

“Then I made a couple really bad decisions which probably cost me three two or three shots. That’s unacceptable. I’ll fix that this weekend. That’s not hard to fix.”

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–Field Level Media

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Price cautious on Reserve Bank’s 2026 return to The Galaxy

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In a training career spanning more than 30 years, Mick Price has come across only one similar instance to the problem that kept Reserve Bank out of action for almost a year.

The winner of The Goodwood prepares for a return via the Group 1 The Galaxy (1100m) at Rosehill on Saturday, arriving back at the stable for spring targets when handlers flagged odd behaviour.

“I walked in at four o’clock one morning and the girls said, ‘come and have a look at this’,” Price said.

“He was absolutely shaking life a leaf on the spot, which was really unusual.

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“We couldn’t work it out initially. We thought it might have been a vertebrae problem, but it turned out to be Ross River virus based on his blood picture.”

This mosquito-spread virus, often seen in humans, also hits equines, manifesting as fever, swollen joints and sluggishness.

Having trained just one other horse with it, Price recalls that one failing to thrive post-issue, contrasting sharply with Reserve Bank’s positive rehabilitation signs.

“It was a horse called Blazing Harry. He came back and he did not race well, and he didn’t look to bloom,” Price said.

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“I don’t have much experience or knowledge with it. I don’t know what to expect. But Blazing Harry, he didn’t have a lot of life looking at him, and this horse looks beautiful.

“I think he just needs racing.”

Last autumn the four-year-old secured three stakes wins in a row, highlighted by his Goodwood conquest.

He holds a fine fresh record yet Price views the Saturday assignment as preparatory and is sceptical about gate two’s prospects.

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“The horse is going super, but I can’t picture how he wins a The Galaxy from that inside gate, first-up after a long time,” he said.

“He’s a four-year-old bull. I’m just looking for him to run well and please, and then I’ll work out a program.”

“He just needs to go to the races to bring him on.”

Damian Lane takes the mount on Reserve Bank, quoted at $8.50 in a wide-open betting contest.

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Keyshawn Davis delivers surprising Devin Haney vs Rolly Romero verdict

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Devin Haney and Rolando Romero are expected to collide in a welterweight title unification this May, and potential 147lb rival Keyshawn Davis has offered his prediction for the contest.

Haney dethroned Brian Norman Jr to become the WBO welterweight champion in November, whereas Romero won the vacant WBA Regular title with a win against Ryan Garcia last May, before later being upgraded to full champion.

Meanwhile, Keyshawn Davis was stripped of his WBO lightweight crown when he missed weight ahead of a planned first defence versus Edwin De Los Santos. He moved up to super-lightweight as a result, knocking out Jamaine Ortiz back in January to rediscover some momentum.

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However, during his post-fight interview, Davis revealed plans to move up to welterweight and take on Haney, despite just one fight above the lightweight limit since 2021.

It appears as though Haney has instead opted for this title unification opportunity against Romero, but ‘The Businessman’ is sure to pursue a clash with the victor, claiming to have already agreed to a ‘championship contest’ in the welterweight division.

Speaking to FightHype, Davis looked ahead to the bout, which he labelled as a ’50/50 fight’ after sharing a phone call with Romero.

“Haney-Romero? I got it 50/50. Definitely a 50/50 fight. I have been talking to Rolly on the phone, I know how serious he is. Everybody know Devin for his last fight. So, I got it being a 50/50 fight.”

Haney-Romero is anticipated to take place on Saturday, May 30, at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, pending official announcement.

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Bruno Fernandes fumes over controversial penalty decisions as Manchester United draw at Bournemouth

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Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes voiced his frustration at perceived inconsistencies in refereeing decisions as his side were not awarded a penalty in their 2-2 draw at Bournemouth.

Referee Stuart Atwell looked at an incident in the second half when Amad Diallo went down under contact by Adrien Truffert in the box, but determined it was not worthy of a penalty.

VAR agreed with the on-field decision but Atwell later gave Bournemouth a penalty for a similar-looking challenge, with Harry Maguire seeing a straight red for pushing Evanilson in the penalty area with the latter through on goal, and conceding a spot-kick, which Eli Junior Kroupi duly converted.

Fernandes said afterwards: “I think we could have gone 2-0 up, and then we ended up conceding a goal, not getting a penalty and then we get a penalty against, where more or less it’s the same situation as Amad.

“One is rewarded as a penalty, the other one not. I know it’s difficult for the referee to give two penalties to the same team in one game but I don’t understand why VAR doesn’t get involved in that situation or with Harry [Maguire] because either one is a penalty and so is the other or none of them are.

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“Amad is getting to a point where he’s going to shoot and he gets pushed – you can see that something puts him completely out of balance.

“It’s frustrating for the small players because they always say the small players are soft and when it’s the bigger players they end up giving the fouls. I think the other situation is a penalty, but I also think the one on Amad is a penalty and that could’ve changed the game.”

Fernandes had earlier opened the scoring for United from the spot after Michael Carrick’s side were awarded a penalty for a foul on Matheus Cunha by Alejandro Jimenez.

The Premier League Match Centre explained the decision not to award United another penalty on X, writing: “The referee’s call of no penalty for a challenge by Truffert was checked and confirmed by VAR – with it deemed the contact was not sufficient for a foul.”

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Ryan Christie pulled a goal back for Bournemouth moments after United argued they should have had a penalty
Ryan Christie pulled a goal back for Bournemouth moments after United argued they should have had a penalty (PA Wire)
Harry Maguire was sent off for a late challenge on Evanilson and Eli Junior Kroupi converted the resulting spot-kick
Harry Maguire was sent off for a late challenge on Evanilson and Eli Junior Kroupi converted the resulting spot-kick (Andrew Matthews/PA Wire)

Manchester United interim manager Michael Carrick agreed with his captain, saying: “We should have had another penalty. Obviously, if you get one, you must get the other.

“It’s pretty much identical for me, two-hand grab. Either way, he’s got one wrong, but to give one and not give the other, I can’t get my head around it, I think it’s crazy. It’s a bit baffling, really.”

Carrick said the decision not to award the Amad penalty was pivotal to the outcome of the game. He added: “Because of that, they score and then it’s chaos after that, really.

“We should have had another penalty and the game would have been totally different.

“That’s what VAR was for: clean it up and consistency. Surely whatever they think, if one’s been given there’s enough people to decide that it’s the same as the first. It’s two different decisions, so a bit baffling really.”

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Liverpool Condemn Racist Abuse of Konaté After Victor Osimhen Incident

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Liverpool FC have strongly condemned racist abuse aimed at Ibrahima Konaté following their convincing win over Galatasaray in the UEFA Champions League.

Liverpool secured a 4-0 victory at Anfield, completing a 4-1 aggregate win to book their place in the quarter-finals. However, the result has been overshadowed by online attacks directed at Konaté after the match.

The defender played a key role in the game but was involved in an early incident with Victor Osimhen. Both players collided, and the Nigerian striker suffered a serious arm injury from the impact.

  • FIFA has given its approval for 30 Nigerian referees to be included on the international lists for the year 2024. The approved group comprises 11 referees, 11 assistant referees, four beach soccer referees, and four futsal referees.FIFA has given its approval for 30 Nigerian referees to be included on the international lists for the year 2024. The approved group comprises 11 referees, 11 assistant referees, four beach soccer referees, and four futsal referees.

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Konaté was also involved in other tense moments during the match, including a situation where he pulled a teammate away during a confrontation involving Noa Lang, and another clash with Mauro Icardi near the goal area.

After the game, some fans took to social media to post racist messages targeting the French defender. The abuse included offensive words and monkey emojis, a trend often seen after emotional matches.

Liverpool reacted quickly by releasing a strong statement to defend their player. The club said it was shocked and angered by the abuse directed at Konaté and made it clear that such behaviour is unacceptable.

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They also stated that they are monitoring the situation and have called on social media companies to take firm action against those responsible.

Meanwhile, Osimhen has returned to Nigeria as he continues his recovery from the injury he sustained during the match.

The striker was hurt in the first half after the collision with Konaté. Although he tried to continue, he was later taken off at half-time. Medical tests confirmed that he fractured his right forearm, which has now been placed in a cast.

Reports say Osimhen will wait for the swelling to reduce before deciding if he needs surgery. If an operation is required, he could be out for about six weeks.

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This could be a major setback for Galatasaray, with the striker likely to miss important matches, including games against Trabzonspor, Kocaelispor and Gençlerbirliği. He is also in a race to be fit for a key fixture against Fenerbahçe on April 26.

Osimhen has already missed out on international duty, as he was not included in the squad for Nigeria’s upcoming friendly matches.

Despite his injury struggles this season, the former African Footballer of the Year remains one of Galatasaray’s most important players, contributing 26 goals with 19 goals scored and seven assists across all competitions.

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MLB news: Larry Stahl, best known for spoiling a perfect game, dead at 84

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Former Major League Baseball player Larry Stahl died at age 84 Tuesday at Caseyville Nursing and Rehab in Caseyville, Illinois.

Stahl, who played 10 seasons with four different teams, was best known for spoiling a perfect game.

On Sept. 2, 1972, Chicago Cubs pitcher Milt Pappas had retired the first 26 batters he had faced and was one out away from etching his name into the history books. 

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Stahl, a left-handed hitter, was playing for the San Diego Padres at the time and was sent out to pinch hit against the right-handed pitcher by manager Don Zimmer.

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Larry Stahl slides into second base

Zoilo Versalles (2) of the Minnesota Twins attempts to turn a double play as Larry Stahl (24) of the Kansas City Athletics slides into second base during an MLB game at Metropolitan Stadium in Minneapolis in 1965. (Bruce Bennett Studios via Getty Images Studios/Getty Images)

Stahl worked the count full and, on the payoff pitch, checked his swing and controversially drew a walk, ending Pappas’ perfect game bid. Pappas retired the next batter and ended the game with a no-hitter.

Pappas blamed the home plate umpire for making the incorrect call years later.

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“They were strikes or ‘that close’ to being strikes that he should’ve raised his right hand,” Pappas told ESPN in 2007. “I had the opportunity for a perfect game, and, unfortunately, Bruce Froemming did not help me at all.”

EX-YANKEE BRETT GARDNER’S FAMILY FILES LAWSUIT AGAINST COSTA RICA RESORT AFTER SON’S CARBON MONOXIDE DEATH

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Larry Stahl played 10 seasons in the big leagues. (Aaron Doster/Getty Images)

In 10 seasons, the Belleville, Illinois, native had a .232 batting average with 36 home runs and 163 RBIs.

He spent the first three seasons of his career with the Kansas City Athletics, then two seasons with the New York Mets, four with the Padres and the final season of his career with the Cincinnati Reds.

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Baseballs on field

Stahl played for four teams in his MLB career. (Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)

Stahl’s best season came with the Padres in 1971, when he hit .253 with eight home runs and 36 RBIs.

The only time Stahl made the postseason was in 1973, the final year of his career, with the Reds. He played in four games and had two hits in four at-bats.

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Vikings Could Already Have Their Next QB Move Lined Up

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Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy in the final game of 2025.
Jan 4, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) warms up prior to the game against the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.

The Minnesota Vikings fell into the fortune of signing Kyler Murray for just $1.3 million. The Arizona Cardinals are stuck paying the bag for a quarterback they no longer have interest in. Minnesota also further solidified its quarterback room by bringing back veteran Carson Wentz. That leaves former first-round draft pick J.J. McCarthy twisting in the wind.

While this seemed like a logical outcome, it puts McCarthy in a spot where he and the Vikings may have little interest in moving forward. McCarthy looks like a nothingburger sent to the doldrums, and Kevin O’Connell may not have the time to devote to a guy who will be the QB3 on the depth chart.

McCarthy-to-Cardinals Trade Actually Makes Sense

Trade rumors surrounding McCarthy have been prevalent since the Vikings signed Murray. Nobody being honest with themselves sees it as a competition, and it became clearer once Wentz joined the fray. Of course, Minnesota won’t recoup the value needed to land the Michigan product at 10th overall, but maybe they could find something and do right by the player as well.

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Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy against the Green Bay Packers in 2025. Vikings trade J.J. McCarthy.
Green Bay Packers linebacker Isaiah McDuffie (58) and defensive tackle Warren Brinson (91) sack Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) on Sunday, November 23, 2025, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. The Packers defeated the Vikings 23-6. © Wm. Glasheen/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

There’s little reason to believe that McCarthy doesn’t have a future in the NFL. He’s still incredibly raw and could be a very good developmental project. The problem is that his timeline doesn’t align with his current employer’s. Through no fault of his own, and aside from an inability to stay healthy, a parting of ways makes sense.

It’s pretty straightforward to suggest that Minnesota could ask the Indianapolis Colts to swap post-hype first-round prospects. Anthony Richardson is now Daniel Jones’ backup. The Colts gave Jones, who had a brief stop in Minnesota, a sizable payday this offseason. McCarthy would join the same quarterback room as a guy who had no interest in sitting behind him an offseason ago. This time, though, the roles would be reversed.

An Arizona Cardinals helmet in 2025
September 21, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; Detail view of an Arizona Cardinals helmet for tight end Elijah Higgins (84) before the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Beyond that, there aren’t a ton of suitors. Bad teams already have options, or are in a position to grab one. The Titans just took Cam Ward. New York is running it back with Geno Smith. The Raiders will land Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick in April.

Arizona, however, where Murray came from, could not look more inept.

Jacob Brissett is a fine retread veteran backup. The same can be said about Gardner Minshew. Neither is going to reinvent the wheel at this point in their careers, and expecting the franchise to build their future around them would be the foolish lunacy that has them in this predicament.

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Enter J.J. McCarthy.

If a team actually wants to watch McCarthy compete for a starting job, then the Cardinals should be it. Maybe he’s not ready to come in and beat out Brissett and Minshew immediately. That would be disappointing for him, but further indicative of the status Minnesota currently sees. What he should be, though, is a future option.

Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy in 2025
Nov 9, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) warms up before the game against the Baltimore Ravens at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

This will be McCarthy’s third year in the NFL. At some point this season, if and when the Cardinals are again bad, they can turn over the offense to the Wolverine championship winner. He then has a runway to stake a claim for the job and would give Arizona indications of whether they’d want to pick up his fifth-year option when prompted next year.

McCarthy sees little benefit in stashing an inactive for Minnesota, and there’s probably no team that should be willing to pony up draft capital for a young quarterback swing like Arizona. The fit is there. Make the call.


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Ted Schwerzler is a Minneapolis based blogger that covers the Minnesota Twins and Vikings. Sharing thoughts constantly on Twitter, … More about Ted Schwerzler
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Rick Pitino joins ‘Thank You, NYPD’ ahead of Red Storm’s NCAA tournament run

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The “Thank You, NYPD” campaign in New York City is an ongoing effort to show appreciation for those in blue.

The campaign has encouraged residents to upload videos expressing appreciation for the department. St. John’s head coach Rick Pitino was among those who responded, thanking those he said have helped maintain a safe city environment.

“I want to give a sincere thanks to the NYPD officers who do such an incredible job to keep our city safe,” Pitino said Friday in a video posted to Madison Square Garden’s Instagram account. “Thank you so much.”

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Rick Pitino interviewed after a St. John's win

FOX Sports broadcaster Gus Johnson interviews St. John’s head coach Rick Pitino after the Red Storm defeated the Connecticut Huskies in the Big East Conference Tournament championship at Madison Square Garden in New York City March 14, 2026. (Brad Penner/Imagn Images)

Pitino’s show of gratitude came just hours before the Red Storm’s first-round game in the men’s NCAA Tournament. Fifth-seeded St. John’s faced No. 12 Northern Iowa Friday evening in San Diego.

Later this month, as part of the campaign, Madison Square Garden will host an exclusive concert featuring a star-studded lineup, including Cyndi Lauper, John Fogerty, rapper and New York Knicks fan Fat Joe and others. St. John’s plays most of its home games at Madison Square Garden.

ICONIC SPORTS VENUE MADISON SQUARE GARDEN TO HOST NYPD, STAFF AT PRIVATE CONCERT AMID ‘THANK YOU’ EFFORT

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“Today, we announced ‘Thank You, NYPD,’ a campaign encouraging all New Yorkers to thank the New York City Police Department for its service to our great city!” Madison Square Garden said Wednesday in a post on X.

New York City police cadet graduation ceremony

Newly commissioned New York City police officers greet family members after their police cadet graduation ceremony March 9, 2026, outside Madison Square Garden in New York City. (Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images)

Uniformed police officers and civilian staff members, along with their loved ones, will be invited to the private event, scheduled for March 28. “The Garden” also urged New York residents to submit individual “thank you” videos.

Comedians Chris Distefano and Sam Morril are also among the confirmed performers for the event.

MSG Entertainment said it will donate the venue and cover all event costs. MSG Entertainment and MSG Sports CEO and Executive Chairman Jim Dolan said the event was not political but a “sincere” show of gratitude for the city’s police department.

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Jim Dolan attends a game

Madison Square Garden Sports executive Jim Dolan attends a game between the Houston Rockets and the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden Jan. 17, 2024, in New York City. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

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“There are times in our culture today when the dissenter’s voice is louder than that of the majority. Such is the case with law enforcement, and, in particular, the NYPD,” Dolan said in a statement.

“Cries of ‘defund the police’ and other negative statements do not reflect the true feelings of New Yorkers. If that is what our cops are hearing and no one steps up to say otherwise, that can be disheartening. This concert to say, ‘Thank You, NYPD’ is designed to let our police know that we New Yorkers need, respect and appreciate their effort and service.”

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Mohamed Salah faces race to be fit to make FA Cup tie against Manchester City

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Mohamed Salah is facing a race to be fit for Liverpool’s FA Cup quarter-final at Manchester City after a muscle injury ruled him out until after the international break.

In a second blow for head coach Arne Slot the Press Association understands goalkeeper Alisson Becker did not travel with the squad to Brighton.

The Brazil Football Confederation announced on Friday afternoon injury had forced his withdrawal from their squad for friendlies against France and Croatia in the United States.

Alisson missed last week’s Champions League first leg against Galatasaray after an injury scare but played against Tottenham last weekend and in Wednesday’s second-leg victory.

Salah’s absence is a setback as the Egypt international, who scored in three of his last four starts, had put in one of his best performances of the season in midweek.

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However, when the 33-year-old gestured to the bench to be taken off after scoring the omens were not good.

“Indeed, unusual and as a result of that you can expect the outcome: he’s not available for tomorrow,” said Slot ahead of the trip to Brighton.

“The good thing for Liverpool is we go to an international break, and the bad thing for Egypt is that he can’t go there.

“We’re hoping with what Mo has shown in the past that he can recover faster than other players in similar situation because he takes such good care of his body.

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“History has shown he can be back earlier than some others, but it’s only two weeks until we go again, so let’s hope in that period of time he can be back.”

Salah has proved to be incredibly resilient during his Liverpool career, missing just 10 Premier League matches through injury since joining in 2017, and this is his first since a hamstring problem in January 2024.

It is another hurdle for Slot to overcome as it places additional pressure on the right side of his team.

Jeremie Frimpong played at full-back in midweek and could be the stand-in for Salah further forward but that would then mean Dominik Szoboszlai, Liverpool’s best player this season, would again have to drop into defence despite a starring midfield role against Galatasaray, as Joe Gomez is not fit to cover.

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It has happened so regularly that Slot is tired of talking about it.

“I don’t know how many times I have to say this: Dominik is a midfielder. Should I say this five or six times?” he said.

“So the moment I play him in a different position doesn’t mean I am trying to be a tactical genius, it means I don’t have options.

“So if I have a full-back on the bench, ask yourself if he is fit to play? Every time I make a line-up, there must be a reason why he is playing right full-back because Dominik is a very good midfielder for us.

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“If everybody is available the team is stronger when he is playing in midfield, but if we miss five, six, seven players then maybe we disagree the team is strongest playing him at full-back.”

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US national champion Jordan Anthony wins world indoor 60m crown as GB’s Jeremiah Azu misses out on medal

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US national champion Jordan Anthony ran a world-leading 6.41s to claim a first world indoor title in the men’s 60m, announcing the arrival of a new sprinting star on the global scene.

Britain’s Jeremiah Azu made a brilliant start but faded in the closing few metres to miss out on the chance to defend his title from Nanjing, China.

There was a lengthy wait for the result to be confirmed as there were several athletes within fractions of a second each other behind the American star, who was well clear at the front.

Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson, the Olympic and world 100m silver medallist, took silver with a personal best of 6.45s, with American Trayvon Bromell taking bronze on the same time.

A close final was guaranteed as all the big names qualified within 0.05s of each other: Bromell set a then-world-leading time of 6.42s as he won the second semi-final, with Anthony equalling his personal best of 6.43s and Azu setting a new PB as they finished first and second respectively in the last semi.

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Anthony took gold from Thompson and Bromell
Anthony took gold from Thompson and Bromell (REUTERS)
Azu was narrowly run out of the medals
Azu was narrowly run out of the medals (AP)

Azu’s 6.45s brought him within 0.03 seconds of Dwain Chambers’ British record and he was again not far off with a time of 6.46s in the final.

Anthony was the favourite going into the event having run the fastest time in the world this year, 6.43s – three-hundredths quicker than Thompson and another hundredth quicker than Bromell, Azu and Levell.

The 21-year-old, a two-time former NCAA champion, won the US title in 6.45s earlier this month, beating Olympic 100m champion and training partner Noah Lyles.

He competed in Poland with his arm heavily taped up after suffering a blood clot in a bungled drug test, telling media in Torun: “Yesterday I had drug testing, they took blood, but he didn’t stick my vein, he stuck outside. I got a clot the size of a football. Luckily, I’m still running.

“That’s why my arm is taped up. I can’t really do this with it. It is what it is, that’s not going to stop me.”

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Azu came fourth in a high-quality final
Azu came fourth in a high-quality final (REUTERS)

Earlier on Friday Yaroslava Mahuchikh claimed the first gold medal of the championships, winning the women’s high jump final for the first time since 2022.

The Ukrainian, the world record holder and reigning Olympic champion, took gold with a jump of 2.01m, while in an unusual sight three women took joint silver.

All three of Australia’s Nicola Olyslagers, Serbia’s Angelina Topic and Ukrainian Yuliia Levchenko all jumped 1.99m with no previous failures and shared second spot on the podium.

Four women finished on the podium as Mahuchikh took gold
Four women finished on the podium as Mahuchikh took gold (Getty Images)

In the women’s 800m Keely Hodgkinson cruised to victory in her heat with a time of 2:00.32, having successfully retrieved her kit and spikes after they were initially misplaced by the airline on her way to Torun.

“It came last night, thank God,” said Hodgkinson. “I was starting to get annoyed. A very nice Polish girl let me borrow her spikes, and they gave me a blister. I just didn’t have any kit or my supplements. But it’s all good now.”

The 24-year-old has won a medal at every major championships bar these, having missed out multiple times with injury, and looks in world-beating shape having broken the world indoor record last month.

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Her major rival, Switzerland’s Audrey Werro, ran slightly quicker to win her heat in 1:59.91, while Hodgkinson’s compatriot and new British indoor champion Isabelle Boffey qualified as a fastest loser.

Britain’s Georgia Hunter Bell won her 1500m heat to qualify for the final and remains the favourite for the title, but compatriot Jemma Reekie narrowly missed out after finishing fourth in her her heat.

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