Sunday, 24 May 2026
OLEKSANDR USYK VS. RICO VERHOEVEN ANALYSIS: FIRST SIGNS OF DECLINE OR JUST AN OFF NIGHT?
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| Ukraine's Oleksandr Usyk throws a flurry of punches at Netherlands' Rico Verhoeven forcing the referee to stop the bout. AFP |
Ukraine's unbeaten heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk stopped Dutch kickboxer Rico Verhoeven with one second left in the penultimate round of a WBC title fight on Saturday after an unexpectedly difficult night's work.
The 'Glory in Giza' fight at the Pyramids of Egypt was considered a mismatch, but Verhoeven, whose sole previous professional boxing fight was 12 years ago, tore up the script from the opening bell.
It took until the fourth for Usyk to have a round that was clearly his, but the champion was unable to capitalise on it with the bigger and heavier Verhoeven still taking the fight to him.
With Usyk tipping the scales heavier than ever before, and looking strangely lethargic, the 39-year-old Ukrainian went into the penultimate round needing to pull something out of the bag to be certain of a win most had taken for granted.
Scorecards published by The Ring magazine afterwards showed two of the three judges had the fight tied 95-95 going into the 11th and the other had Verhoeven ahead 96-94.
'It was an early stoppage'
The decisive moment came right at the end, with Usyk dropping Verhoeven with a right uppercut and the Dutchman beating the 10 count but not the referee, who stepped in to wave off further punishment.
“I thought it was an early stoppage, but in the end it's not up to me,” Verhoeven, 37, told Dazn. “The referee knows that we are almost at the end of the round, so or let me go out on my shield or let the bell go.
“But you know … I was already super thankful for the opportunity as well,” he added, pitching for a rematch.
Verhoeven was fighting only for the WBC belt, with Usyk risking also the loss of his WBA and IBF ones, which would have been declared vacant titles had he been beaten. In the end, he extended his record to 25 unbeaten fights and retained all three titles.
“This fight was hard. It was a good fight. I was just boxing, my right uppercut, bang. Bang, bang, bang. Thank you, God,” said Usyk.
“Right now, in Ukraine, my people and my country – there is bombing. My people are sitting in bomb shelters. My family. My daughter sent me a message: ‘Papa, I love you, you win. I’m afraid'. I said, 'Oh my God'.”
Verhoeven did his ring walk in the open-air arena as a pharaoh, flanked by others holding flaming torches with the Pyramids illuminated behind them.
Usyk adopted a more gladiatorial look, wearing a golden helmet and the outfit of a Roman centurion, as an array of fireworks lit up the night sky. But the fight was one of his toughest, and he struggled to deal with an awkward opponent who hit hard and showed few signs of crumbling.
First signs of slippage or an off night?
It begs the question, is this the start of a decline or just a poor performance in strange circumstances? Usyk is not getting any younger but looked incredible when flattening Daniel Dubois in five rounds last July, so more evidence is required to categorically say he is on the slide.
Inactivity is certainly not helping him. He flirted with hiring new promoters and campaigning in the US before making another deal with Turki Alalshikh and Saudi Arabia in nearly a full year away from the ring.
Then there is the weight. Usyk was slower on his feet having come in at a career heaviest to deal with the giant Verhoeven. Usyk came up from cruiserweight and has always been at his best when able to use his elite footwork to its maximum.
Verhoeven did his ring walk in the open-air arena as a pharaoh, flanked by others holding flaming torches with the Pyramids illuminated behind them.
Usyk adopted a more gladiatorial look, wearing a golden helmet and the outfit of a Roman centurion, as an array of fireworks lit up the night sky. But the fight was one of his toughest, and he struggled to deal with an awkward opponent who hit hard and showed few signs of crumbling.
First signs of slippage or an off night?
It begs the question, is this the start of a decline or just a poor performance in strange circumstances? Usyk is not getting any younger but looked incredible when flattening Daniel Dubois in five rounds last July, so more evidence is required to categorically say he is on the slide.
Inactivity is certainly not helping him. He flirted with hiring new promoters and campaigning in the US before making another deal with Turki Alalshikh and Saudi Arabia in nearly a full year away from the ring.
Then there is the weight. Usyk was slower on his feet having come in at a career heaviest to deal with the giant Verhoeven. Usyk came up from cruiserweight and has always been at his best when able to use his elite footwork to its maximum.
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| General view of the fight between Oleksandr Usyk and Rico Verhoeven at the Pyramids of Giza. Reuters |
Also, we've seen before that these gimmick fights can be banana skins. Usyk would not have known what to expect from Verhoeven nor would he have perceived much of a threat, so suddenly when the fight is tougher than expected, it is hard to adjust.
Another factor was that Daniel Lapin, the younger brother of Usyk's best friend Sergey and training partner, was knocked out by Benjamin Mendes Tani in a big upset right before Usyk was due to the box.
But, while far from his best, Usyk still got the stoppage, and again showed his ability to come on strong late in fights. The Ukranian is often a slow starter who builds momentum. As for the stoppage? Early, yes, and also unnecessary right on the bell. That said, Verhoeven was in big trouble after the uppercut and had already spat out his gumshield to buy time. He might have struggled to see out the 12th but did deserve the opportunity to try.
Usyk would do well to avoid another long bout of inactivity and get back to boxing his heavyweight rivals.
Kabayel next in Istanbul or Germany
After his win, Usyk was confronted by the German-Kurdish fighter Agit Kabayel, the WBC's number one contender, and a man who has been waiting an age for a shot at the title.
Despite Verhoeven's calls for a rematch, it is very likely we see Usyk-Kabayel next. The Dutchman's overperformance on one night should not see him jump the queue ahead of Kabayel whose 15-year career has led him to this point.
Alalshikh, who orchestrated Saturday's event at the Pyramids has previously staged a card in Times Square, and suggested last week they could do the fight in front of the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. “Better a stadium in Germany,” was Kabayel's response.
As for Verhoeven, this might have been his best chance to do something spectacular in boxing. We saw MMA star Francis Ngannou give Tyson Fury fits on his boxing debut before being obliterated by Anthony Joshua next time out. Verhoeven plans to box again, and this showing should earn him another decent opportunity.
- Andy Lewis
KYLE BUSCH DEATH: FRESH DETAILS EMERGE AFTER TRAGIC PASSING OF NASCAR ICON
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| Photo: Race Pictures |
The world of NASCAR and the American motorsport racing scene has been rocked by the tragic passing of Kyle Busch. More details have now emerged surrounding the circumstances of the 41-year-old’s death.
News of the two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion’s passing came suddenly, just hours after he was reportedly admitted to the hospital following a short illness on Wednesday, May 20.
Busch was widely renowned for his success on track across both the NASCAR Cup Series and Truck Series and had been expected to take part in this weekend’s Coca-Cola 600 race prior to his death. However, following the announcement and the initially unclear details surrounding the cause, fresh information has now surfaced regarding the Las Vegas-born driver’s final hours.
Fresh details emerge surrounding Busch’s death
According to a report from CNN, Busch required medical attention on Wednesday after coughing up blood and experiencing shortness of breath while preparing for this weekend’s Coca-Cola 600 event.
The report further states that a 911 call obtained revealed that a caller, whose identity was redacted, requested an ambulance to a training facility in Concord, North Carolina. “I’ve got an individual that’s experiencing shortness of breath, very hot, thinks he’s going to pass out and producing a little bit of blood, coughing up some blood,” the caller said.
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| Kyle Busch racing at Daytona - Photo: Race Pictures |
The report adds that Busch was lying on the bathroom floor but was conscious at the time of the call. The caller also requested that emergency services approach with sirens off and provided directions to the facility. The emergency call, made at approximately 5:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, came almost exactly 24 hours before NASCAR, Busch’s family, and Richard Childress Racing officially announced his passing.
Further reports indicate that Busch had been testing on a racing simulator earlier that day when he became unresponsive and was subsequently transported to a hospital in Charlotte, according to several unnamed sources familiar with the situation.
Richard Childress Racing pays tribute
Richard Childress Racing, the team Busch drove for up until his passing, has paid tribute to the 41-year-old. The racing outfit announced it will suspend the use of Busch’s No. 8 car and instead field the No. 33 car.
The team has also confirmed that the No. 8 will be reserved for Brexton Busch, his 11-year-old son, who has already begun following in his father’s footsteps and has recorded multiple wins in junior racing categories across the United States.
- Samson Ero
MAX VERSTAPPEN MAKES OMINOUS F1 FUTURE WARNING OVER 2027 PU TWEAKS
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| Max Verstappen has supported proposed changes in 2027, not wanting their rejection. |
Max Verstappen has warned that the F1 2027 season will be “mentally not doable”, if proposed power unit changes do not get approved.
An agreement in principle was reached to adjust the power delivery in next season’s cars, moving to a 60-40 split in favour of internal combustion over electrical elements.
Max Verstappen issues fresh warning over Formula 1 future
Verstappen has been one of the most vocal critics of the 2026 regulations, most notably when it comes to the power units and the energy management requirements involved.
However, with the tweaks only an agreement in principle at this stage, which still need to be voted through, there is no guarantee yet that the changes he wants to see will come to fruition next season.
Red Bull and Mercedes are understood to support the proposed hardware changes for 2027, others are believed to want these adjustments put in place for 2028.
With agreement needed from across different Formula 1 shareholders to push these adjustments through for next season, Verstappen admitted “it’s a shame” that behind-the-scenes politics are a part of the sport, but that “it’s simply like that” as a sport.
Speaking after qualifying at the Canadian Grand Prix, the four-time world champion was asked for his thoughts on the proposed changes and how he would react if they did not go through as hoped for 2027, to which he replied: “Well, if it stays like this, it’s going to be a long year next year, which I don’t want.
“I can tell you, if it stays like this, it’s just mentally not doable.”
Asked outright if he would take a sabbatical next season or depart the sport if the proposed changes are not voted through, he took a breath and replied: “There’s a lot of other fun things out there.
“Let’s stay on the positive side. We’re still, I think, looking towards making those changes, and of course, some people that at the moment maybe have a bit of an advantage will try to be difficult about it, but if the FIA is strong, and also from the FOM side, they just need to do it.
“It would be better for the sport as a whole.”
Verstappen is contracted to Red Bull through to the end of 2028 season, having signed a seven-year contract in the days following his first championship win in 2021.
- Henry Valantine
ROBERTO DE ZERBI CONFIRMS TOTTENHAM FUTURE AHEAD OF PREMIER LEAGUE RELEGATION DECIDER
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| Tottenham Hotspur manager Roberto De Zerbi ahead of the Premier League match at the Stamford Bridge, London. Picture date: Tuesday May 19, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Mike Egerton/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: EDITORIAL USE ONLY No use with unauthorised audio, |
Spurs will be safe if they can avoid defeat against Everton on final day
Roberto De Zerbi has reaffirmed he will be in charge of Tottenham next season and urged his squad to embrace the pressure of Sunday’s relegation decider with Everton.
Spurs start the final day of the Premier League season in 17th spot and two points above West Ham, who are at home to Leeds and must win to have any chance of staying up.
De Zerbi promised to be in charge of Tottenham for the 2026-27 campaign “no matter what” upon his arrival in March and even though his team slipped into the bottom three before a debut defeat at Sunderland, a run of eight points out of six games has put the north London club in control of their destiny on the final day.
“Yes, I confirm everything. For me, it’s still an honour to be a coach for Tottenham, even if on Sunday we play for the relegation fight. It’s not a problem. I consider football something more than the table, than the level of the game,” De Zerbi reflected. “Every one of us, we are fighting for the future of Tottenham.
“I didn’t come here in mid-table. The situation was this, more games but not too different a situation. If I came, it was because I thought there are the right conditions, the right qualities and players to achieve the target.
“Then the situation changed because we lost [Cristian] Romero, Xavi Simons, [Dominic] Solanke but I think in my time we made eight points and maybe we deserved more points. We are still fighting to achieve the target and we have to be ready and be strong.
“To manage the pressure you have to be clear and honest with yourself. The level of difficulty of the game is high, OK. We are fighting for something very important for everyone, but it is football.
“We have enough quality, we play in our stadium. If for us it will be a tough game, it will be a tough game for West Ham too.
“West Ham play Leeds and I’m sure Leeds will play like they did in the Tottenham stadium.
“To attack the pressure you have to find the valour [bravery] inside of yourself to understand the situation and to force yourself to give your best, because the pressure is nice if you know how to manage the pressure.”
De Zerbi reiterated his belief that this Spurs squad do care about the current predicament and “maybe suffered too much” the feeling of being the first team in 49 years to suffer relegation.
The Italian has tweaked his build-up for this fixture with the squad set to travel by coach after they stayed together at the training ground on Saturday night.
It is unclear if thousands of Tottenham fans will line the streets to welcome the team coach like it was the case for the Nottingham Forest fixture before De Zerbi’s arrival, but he would welcome that type of show of support.
“If the fans show their love to the players, it is not pressure, it is an honour, it is a great thing for the players,” De Zerbi insisted. “It is not a pressure, it is a good thing, it is a positive thing for us.”
“We are playing well. We deserve to stay up but we have another step and a very tough step but it’s possible for us.”
- The National
OLEKSANDR USYK BEATS RICO VERHOEVEN THANKS TO CONTROVERSIAL REFEREE STOPPAGE
The referee did not think Verhoeven was saved by the bell.
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| The referee steps in to stop the Oleksandr Usyk-Rico Verhoeven fight in Egypt. | Photo by Mohamed Hossam/Getty Images |
Oleksandr Usyk and Rico Verhoeven faced off on Saturday in Egypt in front of the pyramids of Giza. Usyk, the WBA, WBC and IBF heavyweight champion, took on Verhoeven, a kickboxer by trade, in a match that was pure spectacle and the result confirmed it.
While Verhoeven was only taking part in his second career boxing match against Usyk, who came into the bout a perfect 24-0 in his career, the result was very much up in the air as the fighters headed into the later rounds. Or at least that's why many people had observed before a controversial stoppage ended the fight after 11 rounds. And then the scorecards only raised more questions.
First, let's take a look at the final moments of the fight when referee Mark Lyson waved off the fight after the bell. As you can see, Usyk was hitting Verhoeven as the bell rang and kept going and that's when the referee stepped in. The official result goes down as a TKO with one second left in the 11th round.
— Combat Casuals (@Clips4Casuals) May 23, 2026
What made the stoppage look even worse was the fact that Verhoeven was very much in the fight on the official scorecards. Two judges had the fight even and Verhoeven was up on the third card. Usyk was approximately three minutes away taking the first blemish on his boxing record by way of a decision loss or maybe a draw.
Here are the scorecards for Usyk x Rico after 10 rounds.
Two judges had it even, one had Rico up a round. pic.twitter.com/1bJFlFFaBT
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) May 23, 2026
Who knows what would have happened if the referee hadn't stepped in.
Verhoeven came into this fight with one boxing match on his résumé which took place back in 2014. The silver lining for Verhoeven here, besides holding his own against the heavyweight champion, is that he couldn't have won any of Usyk's belts anyway. So now he's 66-10 as a kickboxing champion and he's made a name for himself as a boxer.
Francis Ngannou Reacts
Francis Ngannou, who is coming off a first round knock out victory on last weekend's Ronda Rousey-Gina Carano card, commiserated with Verhoeven on social media saying, "Outsiders will never win, trust me I know, but Rico was the winner tonight. Period."
Ngannou, the former UFC heavyweight champion, had boxing matches against Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury over the last few years. While he was knocked out by Joshua, he went the distance with Fury, who was the WBC champion at the time and lost by split decision. After beating Ngannou, Fury went on to lose back-to-back fights to Usyk. Those were the first and second losses of Fury's career.
Usyk and Verhoeven Ring Walk
While the fight had a controversial finish, that shouldn't take away from how cool a scene it was in Egypt on Saturday in front of one of the Seven Wonders of the World. They made sure to use the pyramids in their ring walks and it was undeinably awesome-looking
.A number of boxers including Canelo Álvarez, Terrence Crawford, Anthony Joshua, Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney were all in attendance for the fight. As was Jason Statham and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. You really might see a celebrity anywhere this weekend.
- Stephen Douglas
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