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Wednesday, 30 September 2026

TYSON FURY BEGINS DRUG TESTING HOURS BEFORE ANTHONY JOSHUAFACE-OFF

Anthony Joshua and promoter Eddie Hearn were concerned that Tyson Fury had not been tested ahead of their press conference this evening

Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua

Tyson Fury was drug tested this morning ahead of his face-off with Anthony Joshua - removing one of the last remaining hurdles to their British super-fight.

Fury and Joshua will face the media this evening for the first time since their fight was officially announced for December 11 in Cardiff. They will then face off officially for the first time in their decade-long rivalry. But despite last week's announcement, there were fears today's event would not take place.

Joshua and promoter Eddie Hearn were adamant Fury should have been drug-tested by VADA seamlessly since his win over Arslanbek Makhmudov. But Fury's team believed he only had to start when his fight with British rival Joshua was announced. Fury enrolled in testing in time for both men to make their way to London from their training camps - and Mirror Fighting understands Fury was woken in his hotel this morning to be tested.

This evening's press conference will also go ahead without UFC chief Dana White whose involvement in the fight had caused problems with Hearn and Joshua. White is the frontman for his Zuffa Boxing promotion and Saudi ringmaster Turki Alalshikh wants him to promote the fight.

But Joshua's contract forbids his involvement and he will at least be absent today. "I would have been there if I didn't have The Contender series," he said. Asked why there is confusion over his involvement, White said: "There's no confusion whatsoever. If you look at everything from the network to the guy who's actually f***ing paying for it, and to me saying what I've said. I mean, I've been saying it now, feels like for f***ing years, but it's probably been weeks, but I've been saying the same thing.

"Everything that I've been saying is the truth, and why would I say it and double down, and triple down, and f***ing quadruple down if it wasn't the case? This isn't a hesitation; this is an ego thing; a total ego thing. Boxing has taken a hit in the United States. It's not as big as it was here 20 years ago. It has become a very British sport, and all the s*** you're hearing, and the crying, and the bitching is all coming from the UK."

- Martin Domin

Thursday, 15 January 2026

TOUR DE FRANCE 2027 ROUTES REVEALED WITH STARTS IN EDINBURGH AND LEEDS

The 2027 Tour de France will head through Carlisle, Keswick, Liverpool and Welshpool after starting out in Edinburgh next July before finishing in Cardiff.

And the 2027 Tour de France Femmes avec Swift, heading to the United Kingdom for the first time, will depart from Leeds later in July and take in Manchester and Sheffield before finishing in London.

Tour organisers announced the Grand Depart start and finish locations for both races in Leeds on Thursday, having revealed in March that Scotland, England and Wales will share six stages of one of the world’s biggest free-to-watch sporting event.

Tour de France 2027 Grand Depart (PA Graphics)

It will be the first time the two races have started in the same country other than France.

The UK will host the men’s event for the fifth time – the first was in Plymouth in 1974 – and will start the race for a third time after London in 2007 and Leeds in 2014.

Tour director Christian Prudhomme said: “The UK has always welcomed the Tour with passion and pride, and the route details we are revealing reflect the beauty and diversity of Britain’s terrain.

“Bringing both Grand Departs here is a testament to the strength of our partnership with British Cycling and the enthusiasm of the UK.”

Crowds totalling 2.5 million lined the route when the first two stages of the Tour were held in Yorkshire in 2014 and organisers are expecting a similarly spectacular turn out next year.

Prudhomme told the Press Association: “There’s going to be double the impact because we also have the women’s race in Leeds, Sheffield, Manchester and London, as well as the men’s race.

“It will be huge. The previous two grand departs in the UK, in London in 1977 and in Yorkshire in 2014 were unforgettable.”

When asked why it has taken so long for the Tour to return, Prudhomme added: “Because thanks to London, thanks to Yorkshire, we have more bids than before.

Director of the Tour de France Christian Prudhomme during the Tour de France 2027 Grand Depart route reveal (Zoe Head-Thomas/PA)

“We have bids from almost everywhere in Europe, for example, the Czech Republic – the guy we saw there was the Prime Minister – and Slovenia. They all want the tour at the start in their country.

“It was not the case before 2014, so thanks to the huge success of Yorkshire we have many more bids and bids presented by the highest level in each country.”

The Tour de France Femmes, brought under the same organisation as the men’s race in 2022, will start outside of France for the third time following the Netherlands in 2024 and Switzerland in 2025.

Tour de France Femmes director Marion Rousse said: “The UK has played an important role in the history of women’s cycling, with champions such as Lizzie Armitstead-Deignan.

“Starting the Tour de France Femmes in Leeds is a strong choice, closely linked to this heritage and to the enthusiasm of a public that knows and loves the Tour.

“These stages clearly reflect the race’s ambition: to continue growing women’s cycling and to inspire future generations.”

Grand Depart GB 2027 managing director Paul Bush stressed the positive social impact the Tour will have after the announcing of Joy, “the social impact programme that will embed community at the heart of the 2027 Grand Depart.

He told the Press Association: “Bringing the men’s and women’s races together is historic. It’s never happened before.

“We’ve called the social impact programme Joy on purpose because the race will actually bring some joy back into life.

“It’s an opportunity for communities to come out and support not only the riders, but take part in local activities.

“Whether it be through old people’s homes, whether it be through street parties, through schools. Christian Prudhomme has always said the race brings joy to communities.”