Joshua’s KO sets up match with Fury

With a brutal knockout, Anthony Joshua cleared the way to a shot at being the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.

With a big right hand that sent Kubrat Pulev, a durable but onedimensional Bulgarian, to the canvas for a third and final time, Joshua secured a dominant ninthround win in his U. K. homecoming on Saturday in London to retain the WBA, WBO and IBF belts.

It wasn’t long before the inevitable question was thrown at him: is WBC champion Tyson Fury next in what would be an allBritish blockbuster to unify the four titles in boxing’s marquee division?

“Whoever has got the belt, I’d love to compete with them,” Joshua said. “If that is Tyson Fury, let it be Tyson Fury.”

An agreement in principle has already been reached on a twofight deal between the two Britons for 2021.

Mets bring aboard GM and catcher

The New York Mets added two important pieces to the team that owner Steven Cohen bought for a record

$ 2.475 billion last month, filling pressing vacancies on and off the field.

The Mets decided on a new general manager, Jared Porter, an assistant with Arizona who has helped build four championship teams. They also added catcher James McCann, a free agent from the White Sox who agreed to a fouryear deal worth a bit more than $ 40 million.

The additions were confirmed by multiple people within baseball with direct knowledge of the moves. Auto racing: Red Bull driver Max Verstappen produced a stunning last lap and beat both Mercedes cars to take pole position for the seasonending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. He was .025 seconds ahead of Valtteri Bottas and .086 clear of world champion Lewis Hamilton for his first pole of the season and third of his career.

Golf: American Patrick Reed rolled in an 8foot birdie putt at the last hole to move into a threeway tie for the thirdround lead at the World Tour Championship in Dubai. Reed, who shot 1under 71, was tied with Englishmen Laurie Canter ( 68) and Matt Fitzpatrick ( 69) at 11under par overall in the seasonending event. Matt Kuchar and Harris English took a fiveshot lead in the QBE Shootout in Naples, Fla., opening and closing with long birdie runs for an 11under 61 in modified alternateshot play. Kevin Na and Sean O’Hair, the firstround leaders at 56, were second after a 68.

Obituary: Former Yankees infielder Phil Linz, who knocked a Game 7 homer off Bob Gibson in the 1964 World Series, died Wednesday in Leesburg, Va. He was 81.