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Boxing: Madison Square Garden to host Fury,Joshua fight

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Tyson Fury has announced that his blockbuster heavyweight clash with British-Nigerian boxer Anthony Joshua will take place at Madison Square Garden in New York, bringing an end to speculation over where the long-awaited fight will be staged.

The former world heavyweight champion disclosed the venue in an Instagram post featuring a promotional image of himself and Joshua against the backdrop of the New York City skyline. Fury, however, did not reveal the date for the contest.

“What a place NYC, and what a venue MSG, and what a fight Fury vs AJ, the land of opportunity,” Fury wrote.

He added: “What a weekend away for the lads on the piss in NYC. Iconic! Not long now guys.”

Joshua and his promoter, Matchroom Boxing, had yet to publicly confirm Fury’s announcement at the time of filing this report.

The fight is widely expected to take place in November, with November 20 understood to be the proposed date. Both fighters reportedly signed contracts for the bout with Turki Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority.

Joshua’s camp had initially preferred the fight to be held in the United Kingdom. However, organisers, including Netflix and Alalshikh, pushed for the contest to be staged in the United States, prompting fresh discussions between Joshua’s representatives and the organisers.

Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn had previously acknowledged that Joshua’s team was reluctant to take the fight outside Britain, particularly because of concerns over the tax implications of competing in the US.

“We don’t want to do the fight in the US, but we also understand it has to work for everybody,” Hearn said.

“We’ve set out our position, mainly in concern to the tax situation that will deplete his net purse by going to America, which can be rectified and I think they’re happy to do that”.

Hearn added: “We will need to make a decision this week. They’ve replied, they have our terms. It’s up to them.”

Fury’s announcement also triggered reactions from boxing fans, with some questioning why a contest between two British fighters would be staged in New York rather than at a major venue in the United Kingdom, such as Wembley Stadium.

Fury, 38, has won 36 professional fights, suffering his only defeats in successive bouts against Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk in 2024. He returned to action in July and stopped Polish boxer Mariusz Wach in Pattaya, Thailand, after previously announcing his retirement following his second defeat to Usyk.

Joshua also returned to the ring in July, defeating Kristian Prenga in Jeddah on July 25. Hearn said the victory helped pave the way for negotiations with Fury’s camp to move forward.

An earlier attempt to arrange a meeting between Fury and Joshua collapsed in 2021 after a US court ruled that Fury was contractually required to face Deontay Wilder in a third fight.

If the proposed November showdown goes ahead, it will finally bring together two of Britain’s biggest heavyweight stars in one of the most anticipated fights in modern boxing.

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FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup: Flamingos record 2-0 win over Puerto Rico

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Nigeria’s U-17 Women National Team, the Flamingos, kept their campaign at the ongoing FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco on track with a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Puerto Rico in their Group B encounter on Tuesday night in Rabat.

The 2022 World Cup bronze-medallists started the game with real intent, pressing high and creating early problems for the Puerto Rican defence. It was a lively opening from both sides, but the Flamingos soon took control with their quick movement and direct play going forward.

The breakthrough came in the 25th minute when in-form striker Oluwakemi Adegbuyi finished brilliantly from Queen Joseph’s assist to put Nigeria 1-0 up. That goal settled the Nigerian girls and gave them the confidence to dominate possession for most of the first half.

In the second period, the Flamingos continued to push for another goal. Queen Joseph, Tosin Rafiu and Favour Nkwocha all came close, while Puerto Rico also tried to find a way back into the game with a couple of changes. Coach Hakeem Busari responded by introducing Awawu Bashiru and Oluebube Umejiaku in the 67th minute to add more energy and bite in attack.

The pressure finally paid off in the 90th minute when Nigeria got the second goal as substitute Precious Oscar nodded home a cross from Kemi Adegbuyi to seal the contest at 2-0. The team showed great maturity to see out six minutes of added time and secure all three points. The victory is a big boost for the Flamingos as North Korea defeated Poland 6-1 in the other match of Group B. The high-score deficit against the Poles is an advantage to the Flamingos ahead of Friday’s Group B encounter against the Koreans.

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NPFL hammers Doma Utd with N5.25m fine, orders 3 home matches behind closed doors

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Gombe based Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) side, Doma United has been fined N5.25 million and ordered to play its next three home matches behind closed doors following security breaches and supporters’ misconduct during its 1-1 draw with Kun Khalifat FC.

The sanctions followed the club’s supporters alleged attack on Kun Khalifat of Owerri during the Matchday 9 fixture played at the Pantami Stadium in Gombe on Saturday, October 17.

In a disciplinary notice issued on Monday, the NPFL said Doma United failed to provide adequate and effective security, allowing unauthorised persons to access restricted areas.

The club was also fined 1 million for hostile conduct towards match officials and another 1 million for gross misconduct involving an official of the visiting team.

The club was further tasked to pa additional N250,000 as compensation for the medical treatment of Kun Khalifat head coach, Obinna Uzoho, who sustained an injury during the incident.

The total financial penalty amounts to 5.25 million, alongside the restriction barring spectators from the club’s next three home fixtures.

The disciplinary action also affects the match commissioner, who has been recommended for demotion to a lower league over alleged dereliction of duty, inadequate supervision and insufficient reporting of the match.

The club has 48 hours from the date of the notice to appeal the decision.

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FIBA congratulates new NBBF president, recognizes election

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The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) has congratulated Dr. Abdullahi Mustapha on his election as President of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), acknowledging the successful conduct of the federation’s elective congress held on October 15, 2026.

A statement from the NBBF Media office said FIBA, in an official letter signed by FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis congratulated Mustapha and all elected board members who will serve the federation for the 2026-2030 term.

FIBA’s letter acknowledged receipt of the NBBF’s communication confirming the outcome of the election and commended the federation’s commitment to good governance and compliance with its constitution and applicable FIBA regulations.

The recognition represents a significant endorsement of the electoral process and Mustapha’s emergence as NBBF president, reinforcing the international body’s acknowledgement of the new leadership.

FIBA also recognized the support provided by relevant Nigerian authorities and stakeholders throughout the electoral process, highlighting the importance of institutional cooperation in advancing basketball administration in the country.

The international federation also expressed appreciation to the outgoing NBBF board, led by Engr. Ahmadu Musa Kida, for its work and contributions to Nigerian basketball.

Zagklis further recalled his recent meeting with Mustapha in Berlin and expressed his expectation of meeting him again in person, wishing the new president and his colleagues success throughout their tenure.

The new leadership is expected to build on the recognition and institutional support to strengthen basketball development, improve governance and advance Nigeria’s competitiveness on the continental and international stages.

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