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    Rio Ferdinand QUITTING TNT Sports after 10 years as Man Utd icon releases emotional statement about ‘difficult decision’

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    RIO Ferdinand has announced he is quitting his pundit role with TNT Sports.Former Manchester United and England defender Ferdinand, 46, has been one of the faces of the channel since joining its predecessor BT Sport in 2015.Rio Ferdinand has announced he’s quitting TNT Sports after ten yearsFerdinand has become a popular pundit since ending his playing career in 2015Ferdinand has acted as both a pundit and co-commentator for domestic and European football, including last week’s Europa League Final between United and Spurs in Bilbao.But the ex-Three Lions skipper will step away from the TNT microphone after Saturday’s Champions League Final between Inter Milan and PSG in Munich.Ferdinand explained in a lengthy social media post: “After 10 incredible years. I have made the difficult decision to step away from TNT Sports after the Champions League final.“Since retiring from football it has been a privilege talking about the game I love for a decade for sports fans watching on BT Sports and TNT Sports.READ MORE ON MAN UTD“I want to acknowledge the tremendous support from the team behind the scenes, whose hard work often goes unseen, but has been essential to our success. “To everyone at TNT Sports, we have a brilliant end to the season to look forward to on Saturday, and for now all focus will be on what I think could go down as one of the great European finals.“The network continues to thrive with more rights than ever, and I look forward to following its progress and the exciting future that lies ahead. “Lastly, I would like to thank my family and my management company New Era for their ongoing support. Most read in FootballJoin SUN CLUB for the Man Utd Files every Thursday plusin-depth coverage and exclusives from Old Trafford“They have supported me to travel all over the Europe following the best players and watching the best matches. For a football fan like me, it’s been a dream come true. “As I turn the page to the next chapter. I carry with me countless memories.Rio Ferdinand calls out Roy Keane and Gary Neville’s takes on Man Utd vs Man City “I’m excited about what the future holds, spending more time with my family, focusing on Rio Ferdinand Presents and my other business interests.“I hope to stay connected with all of you in different capacities. Thank you once again for everything.”Sources at TNT suggested Ferdinand could return to the channel in the future, whether on a guest or permanent basis and that it was entirely his decision.The decision not to renew his deal allows Ferdinand to concentrate on his own online channels, which have become increasingly popular.Ferdinand was hospitalised after a health scare at the start of the monthFerdinand was recently off work after suffering from a health scare, forcing him to miss Arsenal’s Champions League semi-final second leg clash against Paris Saint-Germain.He was hospitalised with a serious virus, which he later called a “crazy illness” that left him vomiting.Ferdinand can now juggle his time better between family life and work commitments.Read More on The SunHe is married to wife Kate, who he shares two biological children with.The couple also raise three kids from Ferdinand’s first marriage to late partner Rebecca, who tragically died from cancer in 2015.Ferdinand is married to former Towie star Kate More

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      TV giants set to disappear from sports broadcasting after more than a DECADE

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      BT SPORT could be set to disappear from football broadcasting after more than a DECADE.BT is in advanced talks to sell its 50 per cent stake in UK broadcaster TNT Sports to US joint venture partner Warner Bros Discovery, according to the Financial Times. BT Sport could be set to disappear from football broadcastingCredit: GettyIt would end BT’s involvement in sports broadcasting after more than ten years, having entered the market in 2012.Warner Bros Discovery are said to have an option to buy out BT before the end of next year. Striking a deal will give the US media giant better control over the future of the sporting channels – which key for its business in Europe.BT and WBD declined to comment to FT. READ MORE IN football TNT channels — which have the rights to some exclusive Premier League football games — have been identified as non-core by BT chief executive Allison Kirkby.Kirkby has instead looked to refocus the company on its traditional mobile and broadband offering.TNT Sports was created after BT merged its sports division with Warner Bros Discovery’s Eurosport UK business in 2022.The company has a four-year contract to air 52 live Prem matches per season until 2029 and a four-year deal to show the FA Cup from 2025. Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSWarner Bros Discovery (WBD) are rebranding streaming service Max – already live in a number of European countries – back to HBO Max this summer.And it will also set to launch in the UK and Ireland by 2026. How Europa League final will be decided – four key Man Utd vs Tottenham tactical battlesThe HBO Max streaming service is due to incorporate content and live streams currently on Discovery+, including TNT Sports.  More

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      TNT Sports presenter Darrell Currie left fighting for his life with mystery illness as he explains two-year absence

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      MUCH-LOVED TNT Sports host Darrell Currie has opened up on a mystery illness that has left him fighting for his life.The 41-year-old was a regular face on BT Sport’s Scottish football and Champions League coverage until everything changed in September 2022.Footy TV host Darrell Currie has opened up on his mystery illness battleCredit: AlamyThis was a very difficult story to tell but I felt this was the right time to tell it.I know there are a lot of people out there suffering and if I can help in any way, I will. I’m fighting as hard as I can for my family. I won’t give up. Neither should you. ❤️ https://t.co/cBXqwh1BcE— Darrell Currie (@darrellcurrietv) July 5, 2024

      That was the evening when just before 10pm, live on air, he felt something erupt inside his head as he stood in the studio alongside Michael Owen, Chris Sutton and Gordon Strachan.Brave Currie has now opened up on what happened during the final segment of the show covering Celtic’s Champions League clash with Real Madrid.And he revealed how it was the start of a health nightmare that has meant he has been unable to work due to living in chronic pain while his life has been ruined by the crippling illness.He told The Athletic: “It felt like a bomb went off in my brain. Like something exploded in my head.”READ MORE ON FOOTBALLRecalling the exact moment it happened as his pundits analysed the game on air, he said: “The second it happened, I remember holding onto my chair.“I felt dizzy, like I was going to fall out of my seat and pass out. I managed to finish the chat and get to the break but I came off air feeling terrible.“Walking back to the TV trucks, it felt like the ground wasn’t there. I had no real sense of where I was.”He headed to London the next day to present another Champions League game despite his body still reeling, leading to him being diagnosed with labyrinthitis – inflammation of the ear – after a late-night private GP appointment.Most read in FootballBut things continued to get worse before three weeks later it all came to a head as he hosted the broadcaster’s coverage of Scotland versus Ireland.Currie said: “I texted the producer during the second half asking how long the post-match segment was.Scientists discover more than 200 symptoms impact the daily lives of people with long Covid“I was struggling to stand up and every time I was turning my head to chat to the pundits, I felt like going to faint or fall over.“I take a lot of pride in my work so I would never, ever not finish a programme, but that night the producer saw something was not right with me. He came into the stadium during the game and said he was taking it out of my hands: I was being taken off air. It was the biggest weight off my shoulders.”That evening, which was on September 24, 2022, was the last time that the star was able to present live television.Currie, married to pilates instructor Jennifer and who has two children, says his legs completely seized up as he continued to struggle with his physical decline.He tried physio but the chronic pain spread all over his body and left him unable to work and he struggled to even get out of bed towards the end of 2022 and early 2023.Currie was eventually told by a specialist in Germany that it was believed he had early symptoms of arachnoiditis, which is a rare, progressive inflammatory condition that affects the part of the body that protects the nerves of the brain and the spinal cord.After joining a number of online groups he was left petrified as sufferers described paralysis as it worsened.Darrell Currie was the face of BT Sport’s Scottish footballCredit: Kenny Ramsay – The Sun GlasgowCurrie said: “For those few months after that diagnosis, I’m not sure I wanted to be alive.“I would talk to my wife often about, ‘What is the point in being here?’ I couldn’t really see the light of day.“I would never have committed suicide, as I remember speaking to Kris Boyd about his charity and I know how that can be for your family, leaving them like that.“I never told anyone I was thinking of it, but I was genuinely trying to think of ways I could do it — even if that was abroad so it was something assisted.“The pain was horrific. My neck felt broken, my back felt broken, my whole body felt broken. I could barely hold my head up. I was questioning everything.”His wife proved to be his inspiration to get him through his darkest days and after “getting my head together”. He has undergone steroid treatment, but he suffers with disequilibrium from lighting and carries an umbrella-turned-walking stick whenever he goes outside.He has to perform neck and spine exercises as soon as he wakes up and has to sleep with a heat pack on his back that has stripped skin from his body.But he has now finally been diagnosed with chronic pain and nerve damage in his spinal canal.He now works with Dr Ben Sinclair, who is using his own experiences of long Covid to help treat others, who believes that Currie is also a sufferer of it.You’re Not AloneEVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicideIt doesn’t discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers.It’s the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes.And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women.Yet it’s rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now.That is why The Sun launched the You’re Not Alone campaign.The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives.Let’s all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others… You’re Not Alone.If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support:Currie tested positive for Covid in 2022 just two weeks before tearing a disc in his back. He also said he got “terrible tinnitus”, which he claims was a side-effect after getting his first vaccine.He said: “This is possibly the start of the story. After the second and third vaccines I had weird feelings — pins and needles up my arms, across my face, it felt like my tongue was vibrating, my jaw was hardly moving and I had headaches. Now doctors say those are signs of mild allergic reactions.“Did the Covid vaccines potentially affect my immune system and so, when I then got Covid, could my body not react? Was it immune failure, attacking itself? A lot of doctors I am seeing now feel that is what happened.“There might be loads of people like me who have been told they have got something like fibromyalgia or MS or some neurological condition, when actually it could be something post-vaccine or Covid itself.“What I know is there are a lot of people suffering.”He has since undergone monoclonal antibody therapy which are injections to try and attack the spike proteins that exist in the body from Covid.And he has also been offered a riskier experimental treatment that involves six weeks of triple antibiotics being infused intravenously into the bloodstream which is hoped would get rid of any underlying bacterial infections.But after remortgaging the family home, he says: “There is a point where you wonder if you have to stop searching, as it is so expensive. It is not easy with money. My wife is working really hard and we’re trying to give the kids the best life possible.“Equally, when people are saying there is the possibility this might work, it is so hard not to try it. I was with a rheumatologist who told me there was someone in four weeks ago who was in a wheelchair and now they’re running after it. You get these stories. The doctors are telling the truth, but I know they might not work for me.READ MORE SUN STORIES“A lot of our life savings have been spent on trying to find a way to live. My parents have been really supportive. They don’t want me to give up. It would be easy to give up and say this is probably long Covid but I want to live the best life I can.”He concluded: “I don’t know if I’m going to get back to who I was. I have accepted that, but I am going to give it a bloody good try and find a way to keep living.”If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please call the Samaritans for free on 116123.Darrell Currie is now believed to have long CovidCredit: The SunNHS sets up centres to tackle long CovidTHE NHS has set up special centres for thousands of people suffering with long Covid – as one in five people develop lasting symptoms after contracting the coronavirus.Since December assessment centres have been taking referrals from GPs for people experiencing conditions such as anxiety, brain fog, breathlessness, depression, fatigue and other debilitating symptoms.Patients will need to be referred by their GP who will asses their symptoms so that they can rule out other health conditions before referring patients to the long Covid centres.There will be a total of 69 centres dotted across the country and NHS England has coughed up £10 million in funding for the network of clinics.Sir Simon Stevens, NHS chief executive hailed the move and said the NHS was “taking action” to help those still suffering from ongoing symptoms.Research from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that one in five people with Covid-19 develop longer term symptoms and around 186,000 people suffer from problems for up to 12 weeks.Some 11.5 per cent were still suffering fatigue after five weeks, 11.4 a cough and 10.1 per cent a headache. More

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      Ex-Olympic boxer who helped mastermind national black market racket after running up gambling debts of £25k avoids jail

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      A FORMER Team GB boxer has escaped jail after he helped mastermind a nationwide black market racket in stolen telecoms equipment which cost BT almost £400,000.Ex-lightweight professional Antonio Counihan, 33, broke into Openreach vans to steal fibre optic installation kit after becoming a cable fitter when his career in the ring foundered and he ran up gambling debts of £25,000.Former boxer Antonio Counihan has avoided jailCredit: CavendishCounihan was part of a gang which stole telecoms equipment which cost BT almost £400,000Credit: CavendishCounihan, right, seen here with his dad Paul, won 66 of his 80 amateur fightsCredit: CavendishCounihan and an accomplice used hi viz jackets and hardhats to pose as a workmen at secure BT exchange sites before clambering on top of the vans and using cutting equipment to ”peel back” the rooves.They also used their expertise in telecoms to identify the most expensive items inside before looting the vehicles.The stolen equipment was then fenced by a crooked businessman who used his fibre optics business as a front to sell them on.Counihan, from Sollihull, near Birmingham who won 66 of his 80 amateur fights before boxing for England over 20 times was arrested after police attributed 34 thefts to the gang carried out across eight counties over a nine month period from May 2019 to January 2020.Read More on UK NewsIn all equipment worth £113,192 was stolen whilst £149,561 of damage was caused to the vans.BT calculated the racket had cost it £390,627 including lost business caused by the thefts.In two cases three Openreach vans were targeted in a single night.At Warwick Crown Court, father of one Counihan faced up to six years jail under sentencing guidelines but was sentenced to 16 months’ imprisonment suspended for 12 months after a judge was told of a ”heart wrenching” end to his promising boxing career when he had undergo tests for brain cancer.Most read in BoxingDetails of the case emerged at the Court of Appeal this week where three judges dismissed pleas by the Solicitor General that the suspended sentence imposed on upon Counihan was ”unduly lenient.”Three other men who has also got suspended sentences for their parts in the racket also had appeals against their terms rejected.Counihan joined the Team GB boxing squad in 2009 and at one point was captain but he turned pro after narrowly missing out on a place in the 2012 Olympic Games in London.He was signed up by boxing manager Kelly Maloney then known as Frank but his career began to decline after a ‘shadow’ was discovered on his brain.He was unable to box competitively for three years and underwent a series of scans before doctors discovered the shadow was in fact a birth mark.The theft racket began in 2019 after Counihan got a job as a cable fitter for a fibre optic installation subcontracting business run by 35-year old Michael George and which was used by BT on outsourced jobs.The court heard the gang ”had specialist knowledge of the operational workings of BT and of the high demand on the black market for the specialist fibre optic installation equipment.”They would target BT Openreach vans parked overnight and cut holes into the rooves with metal cutters.Initially a small hole would be cut into the roof to allow the contents of the van to be viewed and if If high-value fibre optic kit was seen inside, a larger hole was then made by cutting through and peeling back a section of the roof.The gang started their criminal enterprise in the West Midlands but their activities spread into Warwickshire, West Mercia, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Gloucestershire, Avon and Somerset and Essex.In one raid the gang stole a splicing machine worth £2225, an optical time-domain reflectometer worth £2400, a red light generator worth £135, a light source worth £564, a fibre cleaver worth £225; hand tools worth £450; and a labelling machine worth £23.A fibre blowing head worth £1,480 was damaged in the raid.Counihan received £2,100 into his bank account juts a day after one of the raids and went on spending spree buying designer clothing.Police began investigating after an off duty BT employee took a picture of him driving the gang’s getaway vehicle.They examined text messages he swapped with an accomplice discussing “doing a peel”, meaning going to steal, wearing of high viz jackets and hard hats so they could ”blend in” during one of the raids.They also discussed needing “new snips” after metal cutters they used were discarded during a previous raid.There were also messages where items were requested, and plans formed to steal to order.Counihan sent messages to an associate asking if he wanted a splicer, and discussing fibre optic equipment that was available to purchase.He then sent screenshots stating that he had been “putting feelers out”.When arrested in June 2020, Couniham initially denied wrongdoing.He later said he participated as a driver and lookout during some of the raids and was only involved in the sale of property stolen in one.He accepted he received “a few hundred pounds on average.”Counihan later wrote a letter to the court describing how he had risen to be part of the Great Britain Team as a boxer, backed by lottery funding, and he went into schools to inspire other children to take up boxing.He had decided to turn professional after narrowly missing out on the 2012 Olympics and won his first 8 fights as a professional before the shadow was identified on his brain.He said he no longer able to carry on boxing and his life ”became a complete mess.”He said he was in a ”bad place” when joined the gang.Sentencing Judge Anthony Potter said the racket was a “brutal and highly effective nationwide conspiracy” but cited delays in the case of two and a half years which had allowed Counihan to ”turn his life around.”READ MORE SUN STORIESThe judge accepted at the time of the racket Counihan had been “processing the loss of a career that you pursued for most of your childhood and into your adulthood” but said he had since undergone a ”significant change” after fathering a son.George, from Birmingham was given 21 months’ imprisonment suspended for two years and was ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work.The judge said Counihan had manged to ‘turn his life around’Credit: CavendishCounihan won his first eight fights as a professional before the shadow was identified on his brainCredit: CavendishHe had decided to turn professional after narrowly missing out on the 2012 OlympicsCredit: Cavendish More

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      ‘Psychopathic’ Arsenal Invincible ‘would have been a criminal if it weren’t for football’, jokes former team-mate

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      EMMANUEL PETIT claims football “saved” fellow Arsenal legend Martin Keown from a life of crime.Petit revealed the ex-hardman “reminded me of psychopaths” but controlled his behaviour as he knew he was being watched on TV.Martin Keown famously confronted Man Utd’s Ruud Van NistelrooyCredit: GettyEmmanuel Petit says he and fellow midfielder Patrick Vieira were ‘so happy’ to have Keown playing behind themCredit: Action Images – ReutersKeown, 57, now a BBC and BT Sport pundit, won the last of his three Premier League titles with the Gunners as one of the 2003-4 “Invincibles”.But French World Cup winner Petit reckons only the discipline of sport kept the former England centre-back on the straight and narrow.The ex-midfielder, 53, told talkSPORT: “I always told him that football saved his life. Otherwise he would have been a criminal.”You know, the rules on the pitch… the fact that he could fight on the pitch, but with referees, things like this, he knew that television was looking at him, fans were looking at him, so he had to behave – with good manners as well.READ MORE TOP STORIES”But I remember so many things with him. This guy sometimes reminds me of psychopaths.”Petit smiled as he added: “I told him football saved you. Otherwise you’ll be in trouble in normal life because he’s such a nice guy but all of a sudden in the space of one second he can change.”Keown was at the centre of one of English football’s most notorious images – aggressively taunting Manchester United Ruud van Nistelrooy over a missed penalty in September 2003.But Petit gave another dramatic example of what he believes was the defender’s sensitive temperament.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSHe explained how Arsenal team-mates intervened against Sheffield Wednesday when Keown got his fingers around Paolo Di Canio’s throat.The former Chelsea and Barcelona star said: “You could see his eyes – he was not there anymore. He just wanted to kill Paolo Di Canio.The Wags of the North London Derby”So the way he plays, the way he used to take care of the strikers all the time – me and Patrick (Vieira) in midfield were so happy to have Martin at the back for you.”Petit also joked that Keown’s defensive partner Tony Adams was “clever” at “managing Martin just like someone who is walking with his dangerous dog”.Arsenal defensive icons Tony Adams and Keown hold the Prem trophy in 2002Credit: Getty More

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      When will Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk be rescheduled for, and why was fight postponed?

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      TYSON FURY and Oleksandr Usyk were finally set to clash in a MASSIVE fight for the undisputed heavyweight title this month. But the big fight has been postponed after Fury suffered a freak cut in sparring just two weeks before the fight was set to take place.
      Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk has been postponedCredit: EPA

      Discussing his injury, Fury said: “I am absolutely devastated after preparing for this fight for so long and being in such superb condition.
      “I feel bad for everyone involved in this huge event and I will work diligently towards the rescheduled date once the eye has healed.
      “I can only apologise to everyone affected including my own team, Team Usyk, the undercard fighters, partners, and fans as well as our hosts and my friends in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”
      A statement from Queensbury Promotions, who promote Fury, on Twitter added: “WBC Heavyweight Champion Tyson Fury has been forced to postpone his fight with unified Champion Oleksandr Usyk after sustaining a freak cut during a sparring session in Riyadh.
      READ MORE IN BOXING
      “The cut, which opened above Fury’s right eye, required urgent medical attention and significant stitching, which will obviously require a period of recovery, scuppering any possibility of the fight with Usyk taking place on 17th February in Saudi Arabia.”
      Tyson Fury’s horror cut that postponed the Usyk fightCredit: X @Queensbury
      When is Fury vs Usyk being rescheduled for?

      Fury’s clash with Usyk will no longer take place on Saturday, February 17 2024.
      The fight is expected to be rescheduled for June.
      Usyk’s camp say they expect Fury to be out for “several months”.

      What TV channel will it be on?
      Fury vs Usyk was set to be on THREE CHANNELS on pay-per-view – TNT Sports PPV, Sky Sports PPV and DAZN PPV.
      DAZN PPV also have the rights to the fight in the USA and the rest of the world.
      Most read in Boxing
      Who was on the undercard?
      The full card has been cancelled with no event taking place on February 17.

      MAIN EVENT: Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk – for WBC, WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight titles
      Jai Opetaia vs Mairis Briedis II – for vacant IBF cruiserweight title
      Joe Cordina vs Anthony Cacace – for IBF and IBO super-featherweight titles
      Sergey Kovalev vs Robin Sirwan
      Isaac Lowe vs Hasibullah Ahmadi
      Moses Itauma vs Ilja Mezencev
      Bakhodir Jalolov vs Opponent TBC
      David Nyika vs Opponent TBC More

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      Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk: UK start time, TV channel, PPV price, live stream, full details as Saudi card CONFIRMED

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      TYSON FURY and Oleksandr Usyk are finally set to clash in a massive undisputed fight next month. The two heavyweight titans were set to fight last year, but it was put on ice after the Gypsy King’s clash with Francis Ngannou in late October.
      Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk have confirmed a new date for their huge undisputed heavyweight fightCredit: EPA

      Fury holds the WBC title and overcame former UFC heavyweight champion in controversial circumstances in Saudi Arabia.
      The Gypsy King was dropped in the third round before labouring to a points win on the night.
      Usyk is coming off wins over Fury’s compatriots in, Daniel Dubois and Anthony Joshua.
      The fight is one of the biggest that can be made in the sport and will be the first time that all four titles are on the line.
      READ MORE IN BOXING
      Usyk, who holds the WBA, WBO and IBF straps, has a record of 21-0, while Fury, also undefeated, sits at 33-1-0
      The winner of the fight is being touted to get in the ring with the victor of Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou.
      When is Fury vs Usyk going to take place?

      Fury’s clash with Usyk will take place on Saturday, February 17 2024.
      The bout will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia at the Kingdom Arena.
      Expect ring-walks to get going from around 10.30pm UK time.

      What TV channel will it be on?
      Fury vs Usyk will be shown live on TNT Sports Box Office in the UK.
      You can live stream the action from the TNT Sports Box Office app, which is available for download onto your mobile or tablet device.
      A price for the event has yet to be confirmed.
      Most read in Boxing
      Who’s on the undercard?
      Here are all the bouts set to take place on the undercard:

      MAIN EVENT: Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk
      Jai Opetaia vs Mairis Briedis II
      Joe Cordina vs Anthony Cacace
      Sergey Kovalev vs Robin Sirwan
      Isaac Lowe vs Hasibullah Ahmadi
      Moses Itauma vs Opponent TBC
      Bakhodir Jalolov vs Opponent TBC
      David Nyika vs Opponent TBC

      What has been said?
      The pair were separated after their heated face-off to promote their colossal undisputed heavyweight fight in February.
      Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk face off ahead of their huge undisputed heavyweight bout in Saudi ArabiaCredit: EPA
      Despite Usyk standing his grown, Fury insists he saw fear in the unified heavyweight champion’s eyes.
      The undefeated WBC king said: “I think he’s scared to death. He’s rattled.
      “His balls are twitching now, boys. His a***hole is flapping.
      “You’re welcome to be sharing a ring with the future undisputed heavyweight champion – me. You are all dossers, he’s getting knocked out, and you two [Krassyuk and Klimas] are going to be working for me carrying my bags, so remember I said that on this stage.
      “I already relieved one Ukrainian of all the belts and I’ll relieve that idiot of all the belts I gave him, including that Ring Magazine I only vacated last year so I could win it back three times, sausage.
      “You know what’s coming, you’re getting smashed to pieces. You’re fighting the best British heavyweight there’s ever been. You beat all the rest of them, but you ain’t beat Tyson Fury, sausage.”
      Former pound-for-pound king Usyk believes Fury’s shenanigans were born out of fear.
      He said: “The man behaves like that when he’s afraid and he doesn’t feel comfort.
      “He’s not sure about anything.”
      Usyk later added: “For me, this is a big opportunity [becoming] undisputed. For my family, my country.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      “[And] my people, who now defend my country.”
      Usyk will become only the second male fighter in boxing history to become an undisputed champion in two weight classes should he overcome Fury in their showdown. More

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      I’ve had to give up my part-time job as a BT engineer after landing my first role as an EFL manager

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      STUART MAYNARD spent the best part of two decades as a telecommunications engineer – now he’s engineering Notts County’s promotion push.The Magpies’ new gaffer spent 19 years as a BT engineer, a role he fulfilled at the same time as being a non-league manager.
      Stuart Maynard was appointed as Notts County’s new manager this monthCredit: REX
      Maynard had to give his part time job as a BT engineer – which he had for 19 years – to take the gigCredit: PA
      But the former Wealdstone manager has finally ditched the day job after County came calling for his services, something he’s delighted about.
      He told The BBC: “I’m excited to solely focus everything I’ve got on football.”
      Maynard is thrilled to finally be in the big time that is the Football League, an experience he thought may never come when he was toiling away in the fifth division of English football.
      The 43-year-old – who was officially appointed as County’s new manager this week – admitted: “It’s very tough.
      READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
      “With football, you have to give your whole commitment and be all in – it was a lot of nights out watching games to understand players and trying to improve. It’s 24/7.
      “And that’s what’s got us excited – what we achieved at Wealdstone, basically training three hours a week, to now have everything at our disposal.
      “There is no excuses for anything.
      “It was always the ambition to get into full-time management.
      Most read in Football
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      “We knew it wasn’t an easy step, but also knew that when we did step into full-time we wanted to be coming to the right club and the right project.
      “We are really looking forward to working in this environment.”
      Maynard has been joined at Valley Parade by his former Wealdstone assistants Matt Saunders and Craig Saunders, who got a first-hand glimpse at their future players when they thrashed The Stones 6-1 last season.
      He said: “That’s what excites us – to work with this level of players. Once we get our level of detail into them, how they can transform it and make it even better, our philosophy and structure.
      “I’m hugely proud to be given the opportunity and the trust that Chris and Alex [owners Christoffer and Alexander Reedtz] have put in me and Matt to take this role.”
      Maynard’s first outing as Magpies boss was supposed to take place this afternoon, with his troops welcoming Stockport County to Meadow Lane.
      But the match was CALLED OFF this morning due to an unplayable pitch, the result of the big freeze which has gripped the UK.
      Notts County’s clash with Stockport County was called off on Saturday morningCredit: NOTTS COUNTY More

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      Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk: UK start time, TV channel, live stream and full details as new fight date CONFIRMED

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      TYSON FURY and Oleksandr Usyk are finally set to clash in a massive undisputed fight next month. The two heavyweight titans were due to fight on December 23rd, but it was put on ice after the Gypsy King’s clash with Francis Ngannou in late October.
      Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk have confirmed a new date for their huge undisputed heavyweight fightCredit: EPA

      Fury is the holder of the WBC title and overcame the former UFC champion in controversial circumstances in Saudi Arabia.
      The Gypsy King was dropped in the third round before labouring to a points win on the night.
      Usyk is coming off wins over Fury’s compatriots in, Daniel Dubois and Anthony Joshua.
      The fight is one of the biggest that can be made in the sport and will be the first time that all four titles are on the line.
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      Usyk, who holds the WBA, WBO and IBF straps, has a record of 21-0, while Fury, also undefeated, sits at 33-1-0
      When is Fury vs Usyk going to take place?

      Fury’s clash with Usyk will take place on Saturday, February 17 2024.
      The bout will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia at the Kingdom Arena.
      Expect ring-walks to get going from around 10.30pm UK time.

      What TV channel will it be on?
      Fury vs Usyk will likely be shown live on TNT Sports Box Office in the UK.
      You can live stream the action from the TNT Sports Box Office app, which is available for download onto your mobile or tablet device.
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      What has been said?
      The pair were separated after their heated face-off to promote their colossal undisputed heavyweight fight in February.
      Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk face off ahead of their huge undisputed heavyweight bout in Saudi ArabiaCredit: EPA
      Despite Usyk standing his grown, Fury insists he saw fear in the unified heavyweight champion’s eyes.
      The undefeated WBC king said: “I think he’s scared to death. He’s rattled.
      “His balls are twitching now, boys. His a***hole is flapping.”
      Former pound-for-pound king Usyk believes Fury’s shenanigans were borne out of fear.
      He said: “The man behaves like that when he’s afraid and he doesn’t feel comfort.
      “He’s not sure about anything.”
      Usyk later added: “For me, this is a big opportunity [becoming] undisputed. For my family, my country.
      “[And] my people, who now defend my country.”
      Usyk will become only the second male fighter in boxing history to become an undisputed champion in two weight classes should he overcome Fury in their showdown.
      But the former cruiserweight king insisted: “There is no destiny.
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      “God gives me this opportunity and I’m using the opportunity.
      “Thanks God for everything.” More