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Tyson Fury stopped Mariusz Wach in a low-key bout in Thailand, attended by no more than 1,500 fans and not televised live anywhere in the world. The 37-year-old British heavyweight dominated for seven rounds at the Max Muay Thai Stadium in Pattaya before the overmatched Wach, 46, retired on his stool at the start of the eighth. Friday’s bout was not broadcast on any television or radio platform and will instead form part of the third series of the Netflix reality show ‘At Home With The Fury’s’. The 36th victory of his career moves Fury closer to a potential blockbuster meeting with fellow Briton Anthony Joshua, who has his own comeback fight against Albanian Kristian Prenga in Saudi Arabia on Saturday. “I went through my test tonight. Let’s see if he can get through his,” Fury said. Many expected ‘the Gypsy King’ to fly straight to Jeddah for Joshua’s fight, with the pair potentially announcing their long-awaited showdown in the ring afterwards if Joshua wins. Instead, Fury said he was going home. “I’ve got to face off with my wife. I’ve got to iron when I get home. I’ve been away for six out of the last seven months. I’m not going to Jeddah, I’m going home to my wife and kids. I’m going to regroup and hopefully we’ll have a big fight signed next week.” Questions still linger over where the all-British bout would take place, with Eddie Hearn saying Joshua’s contract stipulates the UK, but industry whispers suggesting a venue in America. “We’ll head wherever we’re going to head,” Fury said. “Who knows? It could be in Vegas, New York, Ireland, London. Who knows where the fight’s going to be?” The low-key warm-up in Thailand was a strategic move for Fury, who has been basing his training camps in the country. The fight, though not broadcast live, allowed him to shake off any ring rust and stay active ahead of a potential megafight with Joshua. Wach, a durable veteran, provided rounds for Fury, who was able to dominate at his own pace without taking unnecessary risks. The fight between Fury and Joshua has been one of the most anticipated in boxing history, with fans around the world eager to see the two British heavyweights finally meet. Both fighters have expressed interest in the bout, and negotiations have been ongoing for months. Joshua’s fight against Prenga is seen as a final tune-up before the potential clash, and a victory would likely set the stage for the showdown. Fury’s decision to skip Joshua’s fight and return home has raised some eyebrows, but the heavyweight champion has always marched to the beat of his own drum. His focus remains on the future, and he has made it clear that he is ready for the big fight. As the boxing world waits for official confirmation, fans are hopeful that the long-awaited clash between Fury and Joshua will finally come to fruition, delivering a spectacle worthy of the sport’s biggest stage. The coming weeks will be crucial in determining whether the fight will be made and where it will take place, with the potential to become one of the biggest events in boxing history.

Defending champion Tadej Pogacar is on the verge of winning a record-equalling fifth Tour de France after taking a storming victory on stage 19 to Alpe d’Huez. The UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider pulled more than three minutes back on a breakaway group on the hors category final climb up to the famous ski resort, which was flanked by thousands of spectators from around the world. Pogacar, 27, is aiming to become the joint-most successful rider in the Tour’s history with five wins, alongside legends Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, and Miguel Indurain. He holds a dominant lead over Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel of seven minutes 11 seconds, despite the Belgian’s improved climbing form this year. Pogacar’s Mexican teammate Isaac del Toro remains third and in the white young riders’ classification leader’s jersey, nine minutes 42 seconds down. The peloton will take on Alpe d’Huez once again on Saturday for the three-week race’s mountainous ‘queen’ stage, which includes an extra 2,000 metres of climbing. “It was very cool to win up here – it was a crazy atmosphere all climb and I’m thankful for the team that I could pull it off,” said Pogacar. “When I heard some of the guys [were] dropped when [teammate] Felix [Grosschartner] set a super good pace at the beginning of the climb, I was already going full gas, as the breakaway was so strong. Every kilometre of Alpe d’Huez I had good legs and not many could follow [me].” Pogacar crossed the line six seconds ahead of France’s Lenny Martinez of Bahrain-Victorious, who thumped his handlebars several times in frustration as he crossed the line. Ecuador’s in-form rider Richard Carapaz of EF Education-Easypost, who won Thursday’s stage to Ocieres Merlette, finished a further three seconds behind in third. A 40-plus strong breakaway had established a lead over the peloton and yellow-jersey wearer Pogacar by several minutes mid-stage, but the main pack began to slowly reel them in. It was Martinez, the USA’s Sepp Kuss of Visma-Lease a Bike, and a typically animated Carapaz who eventually emerged as the three seemingly set to battle for victory as they began Alpe d’Huez’s legendary twisting ribbons of tarmac. But Pogacar had other ideas and set a record time on the final climb of 35 minutes 27 seconds, beating the time set by Italy’s legendary Marco Pantani in 1997. The victory puts Pogacar in a commanding position heading into the final stages of the Tour. With a lead of over seven minutes, he is all but assured of his fifth title, provided he avoids any mishaps in the remaining stages. The Slovenian rider has been in dominant form throughout the race, winning multiple stages and showcasing his incredible climbing ability. As the Tour enters its final days, fans will be eagerly watching to see if Pogacar can cement his place among the legends of the sport. His performance on Alpe d’Huez has already etched his name into Tour history, and a fifth victory would confirm his status as one of the greatest riders of all time. The final stages promise more excitement as the peloton battles for stage wins and final classification positions, but the spotlight remains firmly on Pogacar as he closes in on another historic achievement.

Lewis Hamilton led teammate Charles Leclerc to a Ferrari one-two in Friday practice at the Hungarian Grand Prix, signaling strong form for the Scuderia at the Hungaroring. Hamilton was 0.148 seconds ahead of Leclerc, with McLaren’s Lando Norris third, 0.499 seconds off the pace, and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen fourth. Ferrari looked in good shape on a track that lends itself to the car’s strong cornering performance. Mercedes, however, appeared to have some work to do, with George Russell in fifth, 0.933 seconds off the pace, and championship leader Kimi Antonelli in 13th. Antonelli did not complete a qualifying simulation lap in the second session after his first attempt was abandoned when Franco Colapinto crashed his Alpine at the last corner, and his second came to grief after an error at the chicane. Antonelli was complaining throughout the session about his car’s balance. Fernando Alonso ended the day 19th fastest in the new Aston Martin, 2.990 seconds off the pace. Team principal Adrian Newey described the first outing for the car, which is new apart from its engine, gearbox, and front suspension, as “promising.” Alonso had a lap nearly 0.4 seconds faster ruled out for track limits at the final corner, but the team made a significant step forward from where they have spent most of the season. Newey said: “Provisional results are promising. It’s only part of the package, so we’ll have some more steps in Zandvoort and then further in Monza and Baku. It’s the first part of our planned upgrade. We’re very short on parts, so we’re being careful with it and trying to learn all about it.” Engine partner Honda is introducing a new engine at the Dutch Grand Prix after the summer break. The day was not all positive for Aston Martin, however, as Alonso’s teammate Lance Stroll spun out of the first session with what initially appeared to be a rear suspension failure. He was unable to take part in the second session because there was not enough time to repair the car. Team representative Pedro de la Rosa confirmed: “It is a suspension failure. We were confident it would not happen in Fernando’s car. That’s why we sent him out. Because of the lack of spares we couldn’t repair his car on time.” Ferrari’s strong performance in practice positions them as the team to beat heading into qualifying, with Hamilton looking comfortable in the car and Leclerc close behind. McLaren and Red Bull will need to find improvements if they are to challenge the Ferraris, while Mercedes face a significant task to unlock pace for qualifying and the race. Aston Martin’s upgrades offer hope for the future, but they remain off the pace of the frontrunners. The Hungaroring, known for its twisty nature, often rewards cars with strong downforce and cornering ability, which played to Ferrari’s strengths. As the weekend progresses, teams will be fine-tuning their setups for qualifying and race day, with the battle for pole position and victory set to be a closely contested affair. The weather conditions could also play a role, with forecasts suggesting the possibility of rain, adding another layer of unpredictability to the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend. Fans are eagerly anticipating the action, with the Hungaroring historically producing exciting races. Ferrari will be looking to convert their practice pace into a strong result, while their rivals will be working hard to close the gap and challenge for the top step of the podium. The stage is set for a thrilling weekend of Formula 1 action in Hungary.