Round-by-Round: Oleksandr Usyk vs. Rico Verhoeven - 23 May 2026

[Kilburn]

Tell you what these Egyptians love a tune.

[gregregegg]

Catterall looks better than ever here imo.

He does. But he is in with a guy throwing 5 meaningfull shots a round… I guess gotta credit cateral with making him inactive. But honestly I don’t know what he is thinking…. Cause he is losing wide and still not rolling the dice.

[gregregegg]

Turki just chatting to canelo with his back to the boxers … fvck it’s disrespectful. I mean this fight is boring but fornicate there was just nearly an hour between fights plus there’s a min every 3 mins between rounds. I really don’t like it.

[joshj909]

Turki just chatting to canelo with his back to the boxers … fvck it’s disrespectful. I mean this fight is boring but fornicate there was just nearly an hour between fights plus there’s a min every 3 mins between rounds. I really don’t like it.

He's there to be the centre of attention and hang out with celebrities, that's all it's been about. He made the main event because Jason Statham told him to. That says it all.

[Kilburn]

Turki just chatting to canelo with his back to the boxers … fvck it’s disrespectful. I mean this fight is boring but fornicate there was just nearly an hour between fights plus there’s a min every 3 mins between rounds. I really don’t like it.

I noted the amount of folk mooching about in the crowd when Sanchez v Torrez started off. Why wouldn’t you watch the first round of that fight.

[Heldenjaeger]

Turki just chatting to canelo with his back to the boxers … fvck it’s disrespectful. I mean this fight is boring but fornicate there was just nearly an hour between fights plus there’s a min every 3 mins between rounds. I really don’t like it.

It almost looks like nobody ringside is even watching the fight. Most of them are talking to each other or staring at their phones and honestly, I can’t even blame them. The fight is dull and neither guy has much of a profile. Giyasov peaked a decade ago as an amateur, and Catterall never really peaked at all.

Meanwhile the celebrities ringside are getting paid just to sit there for the cameras. Thank you Turki, thank you so much.

[KiwiRider]

For years I've been telling people to keep an eye out for Torrez

Same. His inside game is one of the best in the division and he can rock a very strong moustache

[Kilburn]

Good lad Jack.

He is what he is, a slick, reliable little matador up to a certain level.

[Kilburn]

Next to fck all sportsmanship from Giyasov. It’s not like Catteral was clinching him all night.

[deadpan]

Talking of slick, any good fishermen out there with good contacts? I'm desperate on the riverbank.

[Heldenjaeger]

Next to fck all sportsmanship from Giyasov. It’s not like Catteral was clinching him all night.

The sportsmanship you're asking for here isn't really a thing in many former soviet republics. Different mentality. Nice words and handshakes for cameras mean nothing to them.

[gregregegg]

Turki just chatting to canelo with his back to the boxers … fvck it’s disrespectful. I mean this fight is boring but fornicate there was just nearly an hour between fights plus there’s a min every 3 mins between rounds. I really don’t like it.

He's there to be the centre of attention and hang out with celebrities, that's all it's been about. He made the main event because Jason Statham told him to. That says it all.

Is that really why we have the main event. fornicating hell… is Jason Stathom even a big name? He is arguably the worst actor on the planet. Any movie he touches is cringe as shit.

[Kilburn]

Next to fck all sportsmanship from Giyasov. It’s not like Catteral was clinching him all night.

The sportsmanship you're asking for here isn't really a thing in many former soviet republics. Different mentality. Nice words and handshakes for cameras mean nothing to them.

I’ll keep an eye out for that in future. I’m thinking more about respect for the opponent than anything for the cameras.

[Sammy Scaff]

Well done to Jack but let's not delude ourselves. He's just won about 1/8 of a world title.

[joshj909]

Turki just chatting to canelo with his back to the boxers … fvck it’s disrespectful. I mean this fight is boring but fornicate there was just nearly an hour between fights plus there’s a min every 3 mins between rounds. I really don’t like it.

He's there to be the centre of attention and hang out with celebrities, that's all it's been about. He made the main event because Jason Statham told him to. That says it all.

Is that really why we have the main event. fornicating hell… is Jason Stathom even a big name? He is arguably the worst actor on the planet. Any movie he touches is cringe as shit.

He's been sat next to Turki for a few events so Turki obviously likes his movies... but yes, he proposed the idea because he's mates with Verhoeven.

https://share.google/gb6t5IZsDXkAkGkDa

[Heldenjaeger]

Next to fck all sportsmanship from Giyasov. It’s not like Catteral was clinching him all night.

The sportsmanship you're asking for here isn't really a thing in many former soviet republics. Different mentality. Nice words and handshakes for cameras mean nothing to them.

I’ll keep an eye out for that in future. I’m thinking more about respect for the opponent than anything for the cameras.

What I meant is that in a lot of former Soviet countries, especially in combat sports, athletes were raised in a much harsher win-or-fail system. Finishing second was often treated almost like failure, so the mentality can come across as colder or less outwardly friendly compared to what Western fans are used to.

A lot of them tend to show respect more through taking the competition seriously and fighting hard, rather than through hugs, smiles and big displays of what you know as sportsmanship afterwards. It doesn’t necessarily mean there’s genuine disrespect toward the opponent.

Usyk is a bit of an exception in that regard as well — he’s extremely polished and media-trained compared to a lot of fighters from that system and he even gets criticised for that back home by some people who see it as overly performative, like an actor.

[Kilburn]

The sportsmanship you're asking for here isn't really a thing in many former soviet republics. Different mentality. Nice words and handshakes for cameras mean nothing to them.

I’ll keep an eye out for that in future. I’m thinking more about respect for the opponent than anything for the cameras.

What I meant is that in a lot of former Soviet countries, especially in combat sports, athletes were raised in a much harsher win-or-fail system. Finishing second was often treated almost like failure, so the mentality can come across as colder or less outwardly friendly compared to what Western fans are used to.

A lot of them tend to show respect more through taking the competition seriously and fighting hard, rather than through hugs, smiles and big displays of what you know as sportsmanship afterwards. It doesn’t necessarily mean there’s genuine disrespect toward the opponent.

I totally get it, and the guy was obviously disappointed. I’m just a bit of an overreacting soft git who loves to see fighters hug after a long one-on-one battle.

[Heldenjaeger]

And now for arguably the most pathetic title fight of the year. Sheeraz is basically being gifted a belt against a guy pushing 40 who treats boxing more like a side pursuit than a full-time profession. Literally... Begic doesn’t even train full time. He even said himself in German media that boxing is basically just a hobby for him.

[Kilburn]

Penny for Calzaghe’s thoughts watching this. Eubank Sr was still a tough proposition in 1997 to win this belt.

And Joe was originally supposed to face Steve effing Collins.

[Kilburn]

It was like the original opponent got stuck in traffic, so his dad stepped in. Absolute garbage.

[CaptainSpacerod]

10 months since he fought Berlanga

He's wasted 10 months of his prime

[MightyWarrior]

One of most useless world title challenges we have ever seen. Thanks Frank.

[Sammy Scaff]

What a load of old toffee.
World Title my arse. Pretty crap bill all in all.
Tutenkhamun will be turning in his tomb.

[Glass Joe]

That was like telling someone the winning lottery numbers what a gift

[Ruthless-RKO]