Tyson Fury has confirmed he will return to the ring to fight Arslanbek Makhmudov in April after being motivated by the tragic car crash involving rival Anthony Joshua.

The 37-year-old will face Russia’s Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on 11 April as he emerges from retirement for the fifth time.

Fury claims the decision to end his latest hiatus was sparked by the incident in Nigeria involving Joshua, which occurred just days after his compatriot defeated Jake Paul.

While Joshua survived the crash, two of his teammates lost their lives, a tragedy that Fury says offered him a new perspective on his career.

‘Life is very fragile’

The former world heavyweight champion was vacationing in Thailand when he learned of the accident involving his long-time British rival.

Fury cited the fragility of life as the catalyst for his immediate comeback.

“I was on holiday with my family in Thailand for Christmas… then I hear all that bad news that’s gone on,” Fury said at a press conference on Monday.

“I thought: ‘You know what, life is very, very short and very precious and very fragile.’

“Anything could happen at any given moment, and you should never put things off until tomorrow or next year or next week, because tomorrow is not promised to nobody.”

The Manchester-born fighter emphasised that his passion for the sport remains undimmed.

“We have to live for today, and me, living for that day, I made my mind up there and then that I’m gonna come back to boxing – because it’s something that I love.”

Targeting a third world title

The Gypsy King has not fought since December 2024, when he suffered a second consecutive defeat by Oleksandr Usyk.

Those losses to the Ukrainian undisputed champion remain the only blemishes on Fury’s professional record.

He has now set his sights on a third reign as world heavyweight champion as he prepares to face the 36-year-old Makhmudov.

While rumours of a return circulated prior to the incident, Fury insists the realisation that “tomorrow is a mystery” was the definitive factor in signing the deal.

England have progressed to the T20 World Cup Super 8s but face questions over their form following a laboured victory against Italy.

Room for improvement

All-rounder Will Jacks admitted the team must be “a lot better” after securing their spot in the next round with a difficult win at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

Despite being 2010 and 2022 champions, the side currently look far off the pace compared to unbeaten rivals such as India and South Africa.

Three unconvincing wins over Associate Nations, combined with a meek defeat by the West Indies, has done little to inspire confidence.

Change of scenery

Harry Brook’s side will now move to Sri Lanka for their Super 8s fixtures, hoping a shift in location can reignite their campaign.

Having secured a 3-0 series sweep on the island prior to the tournament, there is hope that the English squad can rediscover their touch.

However, recent performances suggest deep-lying issues, including a near-defeat to Nepal that was salvaged only by Sam Curran’s death bowling.

Batting struggles continue

Against Italy, it required a 21-ball half-century from Jacks to lift the score to 202-7 after the top order failed to convert good starts.

The vaunted opening partnership of Jos Buttler and Phil Salt has yet to fire consistently during the tournament.

Defending the total proved equally difficult, with the bowling attack looking devoid of ideas until Jacks eventually removed Ben Manenti for a rapid 60.

‘They lost a plan’

Former England opener Nick Knight expressed concern over the lack of authority shown by the team.

“I was really disappointed with that as a performance. They have done what they needed to do but I wanted to see real authority with bat and ball.”

He added that the bowling unit appeared to drift after taking early wickets.

“They bowled short and got whacked, lost coherency, lost a plan. If Adil Rashid doesn’t bowl well in the middle overs, I worry that they are not incisive enough to regain control.”

US figure skater Ilia Malinin has hinted at an “inevitable crash” caused by the pressure of the Winter Olympics in an emotional social media post.

The 21-year-old uploaded a video on Monday contrasting images of his past triumphs with black-and-white shots of him holding his head in his hands.

In the accompanying caption, he alluded to the immense strain of competing in Milan and teased that a “version of the story” would be revealed on Saturday.

That date coincides with the traditional exhibition gala which concludes the figure skating programme.

Invisible battles

Malinin arrived in Italy as the heavy favourite for individual gold having gone unbeaten in 14 events over more than two years.

Despite helping the United States clinch the team gold medal, the American finished eighth in the individual event after falling twice during his free skate.

He addressed the mental toll of the competition in his latest statement.

“On the world’s biggest stage, those who appear the strongest may still be fighting invisible battles on the inside,” Malinin wrote.

“Even your happiest memories can end up tainted by the noise. Vile online hatred attacks the mind and fear lures it into the darkness, no matter how hard you try to stay sane through the endless insurmountable pressure.”

“It all builds up as these moments flash before your eyes, resulting in an inevitable crash.”

Managing expectations

The son of Olympic skaters Tatiana Malinina and Roman Skorniakov had previously admitted to feeling the weight of expectation earlier in the Games.

He noted the pressure following an uneven short program in the team event, where he finished behind Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama.

While he appeared to regain his composure to win the individual short program, his free skate performance proved difficult.

Malinin bailed out of his signature quad axel early in the routine and fell twice, resulting in his lowest score since September 2022.

A difficult finish

Despite the disappointment, the former world champion remained magnanimous, congratulating surprise gold medalist Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan.

He answered questions from the media with poise immediately after the event but later admitted to being overwhelmed.

“The nerves just went, so overwhelming,” he said.

“Especially going into that starting pose, I just felt like all the traumatic moments of my life really just started flooding my head.”

Malinin is expected to return to competition next month in Prague as he chases a third consecutive world title.

A significant outbreak of norovirus has struck the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Games, affecting several competing nations and raising serious concerns over athlete welfare.

The highly infectious stomach bug has already impacted multiple squads within the Olympic setup.

Organisers are now scrambling to contain the spread as the event’s infrastructure faces a severe biological challenge.

Perfect storm for transmission

Major international tournaments create ideal breeding grounds for such resilient pathogens.

With thousands of competitors converging from across the globe, the winter showpiece has inadvertently become a hotspot for infection.

The sheer size and intensity of the Games often overshadow the microscopic risks lurking in the background.

Shared dining halls, centralized training facilities, and communal recreational zones are facilitating the rapid transfer of the illness.

In these high-density environments, close contact is inevitable, allowing the sickness to move efficiently between delegations.

The ‘winter vomiting bug’ explained

Medical officials identify the culprit as a potent virus capable of causing acute gastroenteritis.

The condition triggers inflammation of the stomach and intestines, leading to sudden and debilitating symptoms.

Victims typically experience intense vomiting, watery diarrhoea, and severe stomach cramps.

While the infection is often brief – lasting between 24 to 72 hours – the physical toll on elite performers can be devastating.

Dehydration poses a significant risk, threatening to derail medal hopes for athletes operating at their physical peak.

Resilient pathogen

One factor driving the outbreak is the exceptionally low infectious dose required to cause sickness.

Fewer than 20 viral particles are needed to trigger the illness, a microscopic amount compared to other common viruses.

The pathogen is also remarkably hardy, capable of withstanding freezing temperatures and surviving on surfaces for days.

Health experts have warned that standard alcohol-based hand sanitisers are largely ineffective against this specific strain.

Teams are now being urged to rely on thorough hand-washing with soap and water as the primary defence to break the chain of transmission.

The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) has launched an investigation into racist abuse directed at Edwin Edogbo following his senior international debut against Italy.

The Munster lock was targeted on social media platforms after helping his country secure a 20-13 Six Nations victory in Dublin on Saturday.

Edogbo, who was born in Cork to Nigerian parents, became the subject of hateful comments under official posts celebrating his milestone achievement.

‘Zero tolerance’

officials confirmed they are working with data science company Signify and relevant authorities to identify the perpetrators.

An IRFU spokesperson described the online attacks as the actions of a “minority” that have no place in the sport.

“We will continue to fully support all affected by the cowardly actions of a minority and investigations are underway alongside our partners Signify,” the statement read.

“It is clear that racist abuse has no place in Irish society and the IRFU has a zero tolerance policy towards racism of any form.”

‘A different beast’

The 23-year-old entered the fray at the Aviva Stadium for the final 10 minutes, replacing James Ryan to a raucous reception from the home crowd.

Despite the hostility encountered online, the powerful forward remains focused on his development under head coach Andy Farrell.

“I think my main goal with this campaign – I’ve had a few chances with Faz and a few chats with Paulie – I just want to learn as much as possible,” Edogbo said.

“Obviously every player wants to play all the games but I understand this is a very special place, a very privileged place to be and it takes time.”

The former Cobh Pirates player acknowledged the steep learning curve required at the elite level.

“I suppose I got a taste of that and I know from that little block I had there, there’s a lot of work to be done and I’m looking forward to it,” he added.

Ireland resume their championship bid this Saturday with a trip to Twickenham to face England.

Hardik Pandya was left visibly enraged during the high-stakes clash against Pakistan after his Indian team-mates dropped two consecutive catches in a fielding disaster.

The dynamic all-rounder watched in disbelief as opportunities to dismiss key batters went begging.

It was a chaotic sequence of play that saw the Men in Blue squander back-to-back chances to seize control.

Pandya could not hide his frustration, gesturing wildly as the ball hit the turf on both occasions.

Fielding errors spark fury

The right-arm seamer had done everything right to induce false shots from the Pakistani batters.

However, the support in the field deserted him at the critical moment.

Such lapses are rare for a side that prides itself on athletic standards.

For the bowler, seeing hard-earned edges result in reprieves rather than wickets is the ultimate frustration.

High stakes in rivalry clash

Tension is always at a fever pitch when these two arch-rivals meet on the cricket field.

Every run saved and every catch taken can be the difference between victory and defeat.

The Surat-born star is known for his emotional investment in the game.

His reaction underscored the pressure resting on the team to deliver in this marquee fixture.

India will hope these missed opportunities do not come back to haunt them as the contest progresses.

Scotland have defeated England 31-20 to retain the Calcutta Cup, ending the visitors’ 13-match winning streak in emphatic fashion at Murrayfield.

Questions surrounded Gregor Townsend’s side following their opening weekend defeat by Italy.

Yet, the hosts delivered an emphatic riposte in Edinburgh to silence their critics.

Scotland started with high intensity and refused to relent against their erratic opponents.

The result hands Steve Borthwick’s charges a first defeat in 13 outings.

Calcutta Cup dominance

This victory significantly improves the Scots’ recent record in this historic fixture.

Townsend’s men have now emerged victorious in six of the past nine meetings between the old rivals.

“This was special. They were humbled last weekend in Rome and this time we had a chance to humble England here and came through.”

Former Scotland international Johnnie Beattie speaking to the Rugby Union Weekly podcast

Beattie noted that the errors of the previous week were rectified.

He praised the way the home side fought and scrapped for every ball.

However, the former international warned that consistency remains the elusive key for this squad.

“It’s how consistently can you find ways to beat these top-level opposition and Scotland don’t have the answer yet. Can you finish in the top three? There are some huge games. We have to back it up.”

Disjointed England falter

The visitors arrived seeking a first win in the Scottish capital since 2020.

Instead, they struggled to cope with the ferocity and energy brought by the Dark Blues.

Matters worsened when last week’s hat-trick hero, Henry Arundell, received an early yellow card which was upgraded to a red.

Any hope of a comeback was extinguished when a chargedown on a George Ford drop-goal attempt led to a try for Huw Jones.

Jones has now scored eight tries against the Red Rose, a record in the Six Nations era.

‘Taken apart’

The post-match analysis was scathing regarding the visitors’ tactical approach.

“Scotland were 20 points better not 11. They were comprehensive winners. In the cold light of day England were taken apart from minute one to minute 80.”

Ex-England scrum-half Matt Dawson

This loss marks England’s fourth defeat in their past five Championship away matches.

Dawson questioned the lack of a ‘Plan B’ once the initial kicking strategy failed.

“England didn’t adjust accordingly. It was a masterclass from the Scotland coaching staff because England were nowhere.”

Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez has been released on parole from a California state prison following an 11-month stint in custody.

The 43-year-old’s release was confirmed on Sunday by his longtime agent, Mike Fonseca.

Sentenced to a five-year term in March 2025, the retired fighter had previously been credited for 1,283 days served.

He had pleaded no contest to charges linked to a dramatic shooting incident that occurred in February 2022.

A vigilante pursuit

The legal saga began when the American Kickboxing Academy product chased a vehicle containing Harry Goularte.

Goularte is a man accused of molesting the former champion’s four-year-old son.

During a high-speed 11-mile pursuit, shots were fired at the vehicle, injuring Goularte’s father.

Prior to his final sentencing, the heavyweight icon had been granted bail of $1m and placed under house arrest in November 2022.

MMA community support

Throughout the high-profile case, the mixed martial arts community rallied around the two-time titleholder.

UFC CEO Dana White submitted a letter to the court describing him as a "model example" of how a professional athlete should conduct themselves.

Inside the octagon, the Californian is best remembered for dethroning Brock Lesnar to capture undisputed gold in October 2010.

While the fighter’s criminal case moves to the parole phase, Goularte continues to face a felony charge of lewd acts with a minor.

A civil case filed by the Velasquez family against Goularte is also ongoing.