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Agit Kabayel says Oleksandr Usyk “is ancient” after Rico

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Image: Agit Kabayel Says Oleksandr Usyk “Is Old” After Rico Fight

Oleksandr Usyk may have escaped unscathed with his titles against Rico Verhoeven, but WBC interim heavyweight champion Agit Kabayel believes Rico’s age and awkward style have exposed issues that could impact their expected clash later this year.

Kabayel, seen as the likely next challenger to Usyk’s WBC, WBA and IBF belts, said the 39-year-old champion had difficulty preparing for the Verhoeven fight because there was almost no boxing material available to study. The undefeated German heavyweight said uncertainty played a major role in Usyk’s complex evening in Egypt.


“I think he’s ancient” Kabayel told InsideRingShow at Ring about Usyk. “He’s 39 years ancient, but I think Rico had a very unconventional style. It was complex for Usyk. You can’t watch Rico fight. He didn’t understand what Rico’s plan was.

“I think that’s why the situation was different for Usyk. When he fights other guys, he has so many fights that he can watch and he can game plan for those fights. I think that was a problem for Usyk.”

Usyk (25-0, 16 KO) looked extremely vulnerable during Saturday’s “Glory in Giza” gala at the Pyramids before stopping Verhoeven in the 11th round. Two judges were already fighting before the round, and another judge had Rico ahead 96-94 at the finish line.

Kabayel (27-0, 19 KO) was ringside during the fight and later came face-to-face with Usyk in what looked to be the beginning of a progression to a future heavyweight title fight. Turki Alalshikh has already publicly supported the idea of ​​​​playing Usyk-Kabayel in a stadium in Germany before reconsidering a possible rematch with Rico.

The 33-year-old Kabayel has quietly built one of the strongest streaks in the heavyweight division, defeating Frank Sanchez, Zhilei Zhang and Damian Knyba by stoppage. He believes that a fight with Usyk in Germany would create an atmosphere unseen in heavyweight boxing recently.

“I think the best place in the stadium will be Düsseldorf,” Kabayel said. “I think we have room for 70,000 people. We have a lot of Ukrainians here. We also have a very gigantic Kurdish community here.

“In Germany, for my last fight, we sold out the arena in four or five days. All the people from the UK, people who have been working in boxing for 20, 30 years, told us: ‘We’ve never seen an atmosphere like that’.”

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Last updated: 27/05/2026 at 11:10

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Terence Crawford said he turned down “hundreds of millions” in exchange for a two-fight deal

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Terence Crawford said to have turned down ‘hundreds of millions’ for two-fight deal

Terence Crawford was accused of turning down a chance to take part in a two-fight contract worth $200 million.

A year later, Crawford ended his professional career his monumental victory over Canelo Alvarezbecoming the undisputed super middleweight world champion.

With this victory, “Bud” became the undisputed champion of three weight divisions and a total world champion of five divisions, clearly demonstrating why he is viewed as one of the greatest boxers in recent history.

Despite all this success, it is now claimed that Crawford turned down the opportunity to commit to a gigantic two-fight contract that was extremely profitable.

The man making the accusations is UFC superstar Conor McGregor revealed on The Ariel Helwani Show that “Bud” was not interested in Saudi Arabian chief Turki Alalshikh’s proposal, in which the deal would include both boxing and MMA fights.

“I called the phone and said, ‘What’s the matter, Terence? It’s Mac Daddy. I have [Turki] Here. We have an essential case for you. It’s hundreds of millions, $200 million to be precise. Mixed martial arts against me and boxing against you.

“He said, ‘I don’t want him to kick you. No way.’ Whatever, it’s fine… I don’t know how as a man or as a fighter you can’t want to test yourself.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Crawford had no interest in stepping into the Octagon after revealing that he turned down various offers over the past year after deciding it was time to retire, including a lucrative rematch with Canelo.

Crossover fights have been all the rage lately, with recent battles between Oleksandr Usyk and Rico Verhoeven as well as Francis Ngannou taking on both Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.

The origins even date back to McGregor’s foray into boxing in 2017 when he was stopped by Floyd Mayweather, but if “Bud” were to ever return, fight fans would probably prefer him to compete in his own sport against elite names rather than in a crossover event.

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50 Cent offers lend a hand as Floyd Mayweather faces theft charges

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50 Cent has offered financial assistance to Floyd Mayweather after the undefeated boxing legend was charged with theft related to his alleged purchase of a $200,000 luxury watch.

Mayweather faces two felony charges in Nevada after prosecutors alleged he passed a bad check to buy an Audemars Piguet watch from a luxury retailer in Las Vegas.

According to court records first reported by ESPN, Mayweather was charged with theft of property valued at more than $100,000 and writing or transmitting a check with intent to defraud.

As details of the case spread across social media, longtime rival 50 Cent shared his response.

“Damn, Master. WTF is over, if you need money, just call me. We could have prevented this mess.”

“Now the feds are looking for you, I love you bro, I’m not mad at you, don’t call me anymore.”

50 Cent weighs in

The post marked the beginning of another chapter in one of boxing’s longest-running celebrity feuds.

Mayweather and 50 Cent, once close friends, have spent years exchanging public insults and mocking their business dealings, legal issues and personal lives.

Just last year, 50 Cent ridiculed Mayweather over his lawsuit against Business Insider after the boxer sought $100 million in damages for reporting on a Recent York real estate deal.

However, the timing of the final exchange couldn’t have been worse for Mayweather.

Mayweather’s headlines now come at a crucial time as he prepares to leave the United States for an exhibition fight against Mike Zambidis on June 27 in Athens, Greece.

The five-division world champion has also been linked with a lucrative rematch with Manny Pacquiao later this year, a fight expected to fetch millions if finalized.

Instead of focusing attention on any of the events, the conversation turned to the crime allegations and what would happen next.

Bad timing for Mayweather

The case centers on allegations that Mayweather wrote a check for $200,000 that prosecutors said could not be cashed after being presented for payment.

If convicted, the charges may result in imprisonment under Nevada law.

The allegations come amid growing scrutiny of Mayweather’s finances following numerous lawsuits, ongoing legal disputes and recent claims by former manager Jona Rechnitz, who publicly alleged that the boxing icon blew away most of his fortune.

Whether 50 Cent was earnest or simply trolling his venerable rival, the comment came at an inconvenient time for Mayweather.

With Greece approaching and the Pacquiao rematch still looming in the background, Mayweather’s headlines suddenly became far more significant than any exhibition fight.


About the author

Phil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a boxing veteran with over 15 years of experience. Read the full biography.

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Floyd Mayweather charged with a crime over $200,000 over a bad check for a luxury watch

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Image: Floyd Mayweather facing felony charges over alleged $200,000 bad check for luxury watch

The charges stem from the purchase of an Audemars Piguet watch from Gold and Beyond, a Las Vegas-based luxury boutique.

Prosecutors allege that on December 31, 2024, Mayweather wrote a check for $200,000 from a Wells Fargo account. The complaint stated that there were insufficient funds in the account to cover the amount of the check.

The complaint alleges that Mayweather purchased the property “knowing that the check would not be paid upon presentation.”

ESPN reported that prosecutors filed the first complaint on April 27, followed three days later by a court order requiring Mayweather to appear before a judge. On Monday, a lawyer representing Mayweather appeared at the hearing on his behalf.

Marc Cook, a lawyer representing Gold and Beyond, told ESPN that his client initially hoped to resolve the matter privately and avoid filing criminal charges.

“The reason for the delay is because my boy trusted Mayweather and tried to give him every chance to make it right,” Cook said. “It got to the point where he was not receiving any response or money for the watch that Mayweather had had for over a year.”

Cook added that his client attempted to recover the money in several ways before ultimately filing a complaint with the Clark County District Attorney’s Office in February.

If Mayweather is convicted, he could face severe penalties. Under Nevada law, a charge of passing a check with intent to defraud carries a potential prison sentence of one to four years, while a theft charge carries a potential sentence of one to 20 years.

Neither Mayweather’s attorney nor the Clark County District Attorney’s Office immediately commented on the allegations, according to ESPN.

The 50-0 boxing legend will face former kickboxing star Mike Zambidis in an exhibition fight on June 27 in Athens, Greece. ESPN reported that a source close to Mayweather expects the event to go ahead as planned and indicated that Mayweather still retains his passport despite separate tax issues involving the Internal Revenue Service.

The criminal case adds to a growing list of legal issues involving Mayweather. ESPN noted that the IRS has filed tax liens for more than $7.2 million in unpaid taxes for 2018 and 2023. Mayweather is also involved in several civil disputes, including lawsuits he filed earlier this year against Showtime and former business associates seeking hundreds of millions of dollars in damages.

Mayweather has not entered a plea in the Nevada case, and the allegations in the criminal complaint have not yet been considered in court.

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