• SPORTS.YAHOO.COM
    Rico Verhoeven details wild Jason Statham-led journey to Oleksandr Usyk fight, including failed Anthony Joshua bout
    When it was announced this past Friday that Oleksandr Usyk will defend his WBC heavyweight title against kickboxing legend Rico Verhoeven on May 23 at Egypt's Pyramids of Giza, the news came as a shock to many. Although Verhoeven was heavily linked to a Feb. 14 bout with Anthony Joshua, the shift to fighting boxing's pound-for-pound No. 1 in Verhoeven's second pro boxing match was unexpected.Verhoeven detailed to Uncrowned's "The Ariel Helwani Show" on Tuesday his journey from leaving GLORY Kickboxing this past November to landing a surprise fight with the unified heavyweight champ."I just wanted to do big stuff that hasn't been done before," Verhoeven said of his mindset after leaving GLORY. "So either make a crazy crossover to the UFC or a big crossover fight in boxing or whatever I just wanted to see all options. So that's where the decision came from. I think we did it all within GLORY."Verhoeven said he discussed a major boxing match for the first time when he was at one of the Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury fights in Saudi Arabia in 2024 with world-renowned actor Jason Statham."My good friend Jason Statham was [at Usyk vs. Fury]," Verhoeven said. "So we were talking and he said, 'Oh yeah, man, [boxing] is the place to be. This is where you got to be.' He said, 'Let's do it.' So I think he slowly introduced me there."It was about a year later, the [Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford fight this past September] was coming up, and I saw Jason was there, so I texted [him], 'Yo bro, you at the fight? Have fun.' He said he was crazy excited and couldn't wait for it. So I said, 'Yo, we talked about it. We should do something [in boxing].' He said, 'Yep, I'm going to bring it up.'"Statham proposed the idea of a major boxing match involving Verhoeven to Saudi Arabian fight financier Turki Alalshikh, who was receptive to the idea and said there would be further communication with Verhoeven's team."They said, 'When you come in, you're a champion, so you have to face somebody with a name. And you have to promise us you're not going to disappoint. You're not going to be out in one round,'" Verhoeven recalled. "I said, 'What do you mean? I've been boxing for the last 15 years on the highest level. I got this.'"Verhoeven was asked by Alalshikh's team who he wanted to face in his first boxing match in 12 years he knocked out Janos Finfera (then 0-5) in 2014 and he informed them he'd be open to fighting anybody. With former unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua needing a comeback fight of sorts after more than a year out of the ring, surgery, and just a Jake Paul bout to his name since, Joshua was the name put forward.Joshua vs. Verhoeven, however, did not take place due to the unfortunate events that occurred outside of the ring late last year."I finished [shooting a] movie at the beginning of December," Verhoeven said. "Went straight into camp and worked out through the whole of December. I had already planned a training camp in Spain for the whole month of January because the fight [with Joshua] was going to be February 14. Then the accident happened."Joshua was involved in a fatal car crash in December that devastatingly took the lives of two of his closest friends, Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele. The crash left "AJ" with physical and emotional injuries that ruled out a fight for him in 2026's first quarter.Verhoeven, however, continued to train and stay ready, in the hopes of eventually landing a big name."We got on the phone and heard the fight might happen, but 'AJ' needs some time to recover physically and mentally. Probably somewhere in March, we would hear more about it," Verhoeven said. "OK, no worries. Totally understand and totally respect the situation. I was still in Spain. We came to the gym and my boxing trainer, Peter Fury [the uncle of Tyson Fury], said, 'Hey, I was thinking what about fighting Oleksandr Usyk?'"Verhoeven was a fan of Fury's suggestion and proposed the idea to Alalshikh's team as an undisputed boxing champion vs. undisputed kickboxing champion type matchup."They said one thing: 'I love it. Let's do it.'"Alalshikh's team managed to finalize the bout for May 23, and to add more intrigue to the contest, it landed at the Pyramids of Giza, which is the only remaining of the seven ancient wonders of the world.Verhoeven will enter the fight with Usyk as a sizable underdog, but he cautioned fans against ruling out his chances, explaining that he has been training in boxing with Peter Fury for 15 years and was even a sparring partner for Tyson Fury when Tyson used his uncle as a coach more than a decade ago.Verhoeven told Uncrowned that he also had discussions with the UFC and had received an offer to fight Derrick Lewis on the first Paramount+ card, UFC 324. Verhoeven ultimately decided against it because the financial elements of the offer to face Joshua and then Usyk were substantially better.
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  • WWW.ESPN.COM
    From 50/50 to Cy Young? Shohei Ohtani is a man on a mission
    Dodgers teammates say MLB's most singular star has set his sights on another history-making achievement.
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  • WWW.DAILYMAIL.CO.UK
    See the moment footy legend Brendan Fevola falls to the ground as he has a VERY painful health problem on live radio
    The footy great was left stricken as he was in the studio with co-hosts Fifi Box and Nick Cody.
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  • WWW.BBC.COM
    'Russell heads into what could be defining year'
    George Russell has had to be satisfied with proving himself against his team-mate, but he may now have a car with which he can challenge for the title.
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  • WWW.SPORTSCHAU.DE
    Ab 20.30 Uhr live - Nachholspiel zwischen dem HSV und Leverkusen
    Nachholspiel in der Bundesliga, und fr beide geht es um viel: Mit einem Sieg gegen Bayer Leverkusen knnte sich der Hamburger SV weiter von den Abstiegspltzen entfernen, die Gste kmpfen um einen Champions-League-Platz.[mehr]
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  • RMCSPORT.BFMTV.COM
    Un Arsenal - Chelsea trs intense mais pas joli le football est-il condamn " devenir triste" ?
    Ruud Gulitt et Arne Slot ne se sont sans doute pas coordonns mais ont malgr tout converg vers la mme ide ces derniers jours : la lgende nerlandaise a dclar son dgot du football actuel ne mettant pas assez en avant les artistes et tant trs ports sur l'intensit. Avec des termes un peu plus polics, le technicien de Liverpool disait ne pas prendre beaucoup de plaisir regarder les matches de Premier League. En pavillon tmoin, le choc Arsenal - Chelsea du week-end en Premier League a un peu symbolis la direction actuelle : pressing, intensit, tactique Le foot est-il condamn rester sur ce chemin ?
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  • WWW.SMH.COM.AU
    Glenn Maxwell wants to defy Pontings retirement prediction
    Maxwell has left the door open for a final flourish for Australia at the Los Angeles Olympics, and the Twenty20 World Cup on home soil in 2028.
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  • TIMESOFINDIA.INDIATIMES.COM
    Instinct over data: Inside Indias tactical shift at T20 World Cup 2026
    From Jasprit Bumrah's introduction against Shimron Hetmyer to the angled plan for Sherfane Rutherford against West Indies in their virtual quarter-final, India have been a step ahead with their planning and have only gotten better with every game in the ongoing 2026 T20 World Cup.
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  • Cyber Security Assessments for U.S. Banking Institutions to Strengthen Risk Management and Regulatory Readiness
    The U.S. banking industry operates at the center of the global financial ecosystem, managing vast volumes of sensitive customer data, transactions, and digital assets. With the rapid adoption of online banking, cloud platforms, APIs, and fintech integrations, cyber threats have become more frequent and more sophisticated. Comprehensive cyber security assessments play a...
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  • Keep Your Wardrobe Fresh with "Dry Clean Near Me in Sugarland Texas USA"
    Maintaining clean, polished clothing is essential for personal appearance and confidence. Residents searching for "Dry Clean Near Me in Sugarland Texas USA" are discovering professional services that provide high-quality care for delicate and everyday garments. Dry cleaning goes beyond ordinary washing, ensuring fabrics remain vibrant, wrinkle-free, and long-lasting. Whether it’s suits,...
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