UK Boxing
Anthony Joshua tells Jude Bellingham what to focus on after criticizing England’s behavior
Published
6 months agoon
Anthony Joshua has told England and Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham to ignore the criticism heaped on him. The former world heavyweight champion urged the 22-year-old to focus on football after suffering a setback during the international break.
Bellingham has dominated headlines amid ongoing debate over whether he should be included in England’s squad for next year’s World Cup. The midfielder was accused of reacting badly to a substitution during the 2-0 win over Albania. Bellingham is said to have not taken well to Thomas Tuchel’s decision when he was replaced by Morgan Rogers in the latter stages, and was also left out of the starting XI for the victory over Serbia that secured qualification for the World Cup.
Joshua was in Miami to watch his return to boxing when he faces YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul on December 15. The 36-year-old enters the bout with Polarizing American on the back of his fourth career defeat following a loss to Daniel Dubois last September at Wembley Stadium.
The former heavyweight was asked about his opinion on the current criticism towards the footballer. Although he didn’t get drawn into this sizzling topic because he didn’t know the ins and outs of the situation, he did give the 22-year-old his advice. Joshua said, “Talk to me… What happened to Jude? Why.” [Shouldn’t he be included in England squad]?
“But why? I’m not really sure what’s going on with this situation, but everyone has their own personality. If he doesn’t want to talk, that’s his business, if he wants to talk, if he doesn’t, I don’t understand exactly what’s going on, I don’t follow football, I follow fights.
“What? Negative? The most critical thing he needs to focus on is going out on the field, representing his country and doing a good job. It doesn’t matter what you say, that’s what we need to focus on, he probably just has tunnel vision that most people don’t understand what it takes to be in Jude Bellingham’s position.”
“Jude Bellingham is under a lot of pressure every day of his life, it might be one of those days, one of those years, but let’s let him do what he does on the pitch, that’s what we have to focus on.”
Former England and Arsenal striker Ian Wright has joined the debate, staunchly defending Bellingham. The footballer-turned-pundit has claimed that England are “not ready for a black superstar”, referring to recent criticism of the former Birmingham City academy star.
He said: “I had to do something for GQ recently and I said as an Englishman that I am English, I can’t hide from that. Although when I was younger people said, ‘You’re not entirely English’, yes I am English.” I don’t think they’re ready for a black superstar. Who can move like Jude [Bellingham] is moving. They can’t touch it. He goes out there, performs, does what he does, asks, “Who else?” It’s too conceited for these people.
“Let me put it in football terms. Everyone loves N’Golo Kante. He’s a humble black man, he does what he does. I’m not saying he’s an Uncle Tom or anything, it’s just his personality. But if you get [Paul] Pogba or Bellingham and you get the kind of energy that people don’t like. Such a person. So someone like Jude for some reason scares these people because of his abilities and the inspiration he can give.
“It’s something you’re taught as a black man when you go out there. You just want to give it your all, keep your head down. And be, for lack of a better term, a humble fucking slave.”
“It comes from that kind of energy. Because if you’re straightforward and black and you’re playing at that level and you don’t care, that scares some people. That’s what’s happening with Jude. This guy is obsessed with him. He’s moving away from that kind of energy. He can’t see a black man doing what Jude is doing and not think that’s not cocky. That he’s not a cocky n***a. I’m going with that. That’s what it comes down to.”
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UK Boxing
Oleksandr Usyk vs Rico Verhoeven – weigh-in results
Published
20 hours agoon
May 22, 2026
Oleksandr Usyk and Rico Verhoeven weighed in today before Saturday’s fight in front of the pyramids.
Verhoeven he is a heavy underdog against Usyk, who has dominated the heavyweight division for the past seven years.
“The Cat” enters the competition with a career-high weight of 233.3 pounds compared to the bigger man, Verhoeven, who tipped the scales at 258.7 pounds
Verhoeven had only one professional boxing fight before Saturday night’s main event; defeated Janos Finfera (0-5) in 2014.
He is trained by Peter Fury, Tyson’s uncle, and will be looking to score a victory as monumental, if not more so, than Fury’s night in Dusseldorf when he dethroned long-reigning champion Wladimir Klitschko; Peter Fury was in the corner that night.
Usyk will look to defend his WBC world title on Saturday – a belt he first won as a heavyweight against Tyson Fury when he became the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis in 1999.
‘The Cat’ was last in action last July when he knocked out Daniel Dubois in front of 88,000 fans at a packed Wembley Stadium.

In his last five fights, the Ukrainian has fought Anthony Joshua twice, Dubois twice and Tyson Fury twice, winning all of them; so on paper Verhoeven seems like a step down.
He enters the competition as a relatively unknown figure, but if his kickboxing career tells any story before Saturday, it is his elite cardio routine and impressive boxing technique, honed under Fury’s tutelage over the past decade.
Underdog Hamzah Sheeraz hopes to win his first world title after losing to Carlos Adames last February; will face undefeated Alem Begic.

All fighters will take part in the ceremonial weigh-in live on The Ring Magazine’s YouTube channel, live from 18:00 GMT.
Undercard scales
Hamzah Sheeraz vs Alem Begic – WBO super middleweight world title – 10 rounds
Hamzah Sheeraz – 167.9 lbs
Alem Begić – 166.9 pounds

Shakhram Giyasov vs Jack Catterall – WBA world title (regular) welterweight – 12 rounds
Shakhram Giyasov – 145.7 pounds
Jack Catterall – 146.8 pounds

Frank Sanchez vs. Richard Torrez Jr – heavyweight – 12 rounds
Frank Sanchez – 240.4 pounds
Richard Torrez Jr – 229.5 pounds
Mizuki Hiruta vs Mai Soliman – WBO super flyweight world title – 10 rounds
Mizuki Hiruta – 114.7 lbs
May Soliman – 114 pounds
Daniel Lapin vs Benjamin Mendes Tani – IBF intercontinental and WBO international lithe heavyweight titles – 10 rounds
Daniel Lapin: 173.8 pounds
Benjamin Mendes Low-cost: 174.4 pounds

Sultan Almohammed vs Dedy Imprax – lightweight – 4 rounds
Sultan Almohammed: 127.8 lbs
Dedy Impraks: 125.7 lbs
Mohamed Mabrouk Yehya vs Ali Sserunkuma – super lightweight – 4 rounds
Mohamed Mabrouk Yehya: 138.9 pounds
Weight: 141.5 lbs

Basem Mamdouh vs Jamar Talley – cruiserweight – 6 rounds
Basem Mamdouh: 192.8lbs
Jamar Talley: 197.7 pounds
Omar Hikal vs Michael Kalyalya – middleweight – 4 rounds
Omar Hikal: 161.1 pounds
Michael Kalyalya: 160.2 pounds
The post Oleksandr Usyk vs Rico Verhoeven – Weigh-in results appeared first on ProBoxing-Fans.com.
UK Boxing
Who is Rico Verhoeven? Meet Oleksandr Usyk’s next opponent
Published
1 day agoon
May 22, 2026
History will be made on Saturday when Oleksandr Usyk defends his status as the best heavyweight in the world against Rico Verhoeven.
The Usyk vs Verhoeven fight is the contender’s second professional boxing fight. Here’s everything you need to know about it.
Verhoeven is nicknamed the “King of Kickboxing” and his professional kickboxing record is 54-10 with 16 stoppages along the way.
He was born in the Netherlands and made his professional debut at the age of only 16.
The Dutchman is widely considered one of the best, if not the best, kickboxers of all time. In 2014, he became the GLORY heavyweight champion of the world.
The 37-year-old dominated and defended the title for over a decade.
‘𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐍𝐈𝐋𝐄’
𓁀
Who takes it home @WBCBoxing, @usykaa Or @RicoVerhoeven ?
#UsykVerhoeven pic.twitter.com/0z4h8e66zy
— Professional boxing fans (@ProBoxingFans) May 21, 2026
He is respected in the kickboxing world for his elite cardio skills, technical skills and fighting IQ, and is known to many for his celebrated rivalry with Badr Hari, a man he stopped twice in three years.
Verhoeven is 6 feet 5 inches and has a reach of 200 cm compared to his opponent Usyk who is 6 feet 3 inches and has a reach of 198 cm.
Despite challenging a man who is considered by many to be boxing’s number one, this will be only Verhoeven’s second professional boxing fight.
𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐊𝐒𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐑 𝐔𝐒𝐘𝐊 𝐈𝐒 𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊 𝐈𝐍 𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐊𝐄𝐍𝐃
Will be @usykaa add a victory over a kickboxing legend to his already impressive heavyweight resume, @RicoVerhoeven ?
#UsykVerhoeven pic.twitter.com/XMpPrWG9ZK
— Professional boxing fans (@ProBoxingFans) May 20, 2026
The only time he stepped into the squared circle was in 2014, before he won either of his kickboxing titles.
In Germany, he faced Janos Finfera 0:5 and made no mistake, stopping his opponent in the second round.

His fight with the Ukrainian will take place in front of ul Pyramids of Gizathe first spectacle in this sport, which should prove to be a historic spectacle.
OLEKSANDR USYK
RICO VERHOEVEN
– FIRST RETURN IN FIGHT WEEK
#usykverhoeven pic.twitter.com/9BqobLOzHz
— Professional boxing fans (@ProBoxingFans) May 19, 2026
The event was organized by Turki Alalshikh and The Ring Magazine and will be broadcast live on DAZN pay-per-view.
For the past decade, Verhoeven has worked with a highly respected boxing coach Piotr Furywhich helped develop his boxing skills into his kickboxing career.

Verhoeven and Fury have both talked about how beneficial it has been to focus solely on boxing for the past six months; was originally set to face Anthony Joshua.
The entry Who is Rico Verhoeven? Meet Oleksandr Usyk’s next opponent appeared first on ProBoxing-Fans.com.
Tyson Fury has suggested that there will be a shocking fight with Zlatan Ibrahimovic later this year.
Fury is a two-time world heavyweight champion and Ibrahimovic has never had a professional boxing fight.
He informed about it A place of stomping earlier that morning, both the “Gypsy King” and the retired soccer star met in Warsaw.
Goldstar’s James Ward shared multiple photos from the pair’s reunion, where you could imagine them dining together at restaurants with a enormous film crew in attendance, likely filming footage for the confirmed third installment of his hit Netflix series Fury’s House of Fury.
Just hours after posting the photos, both Fury and Ibrahimovic shared a post on Instagram suggesting a fight between them.
𝗦𝗨𝗥𝗘𝗟𝗬 𝗡𝗢𝗧?
“MOST IMPORTANT NEWS! ON AUGUST 1ST in Dublin, Ireland, @Tyson_Fury @Turki_alalshikh @Ibra_oficjalna #makingboxinggreatain” pic.twitter.com/di9o0wbaao
— Professional boxing fans (@ProBoxingFans) May 21, 2026
The caption on their post read: “BREAKING NEWS! AUGUST 1 in Dublin, Ireland, @tysonfury @turki #makingboxinggreatagain.”
While many fans initially thought the post was a joke, Turki Alalshikha’s recent matchmaking means some fans are taking the possibility seriously.
On Saturday, Alalshikh and The Ring Magazine host another shocking contest for the two-time undisputed heavyweight champion of the worldN Aleksander Usyk will face a kickboxing star Rico Verhoeven in front of the Giza pyramids.
Usyk is the main favorite, but Fury would probably be an even bigger favorite if the fight with Ibrahimovic comes to fruition.

The football star has previously hinted at a possible boxing crossover with Sun sport claiming to have spoken to Misfits Boxing in October 2024.
Misfits promoter Mams Taylor has spoken out about the possibility of Ibrahimovic fighting.
“I tried to convince Zlatan and he can fight. I’m good friends with his manager and the three of us talked on FaceTime.

“It was really nippy because he saw a lot of Misfits fights and followed them. He was a kickboxer and would have been good too.
“But yes, there are other names that are not as renowned as these guys, but they are still very respected and have achieved a lot that is of interest.
“And since it’s so realistic that these guys will fight, I won’t mention their names.”
‘The Gypsy King’ will face long-time rival Anthony Joshua at the end of the year after they have been on a collision course for over a decade, but Fury has stated he would like one more fight before facing ‘AJ’.

Rumors began to circulate that Fury’s next fight would take place about a week or two after Joshua’s fight against Kristian Prenga on July 25.
In the absence of official confirmation of the event, the reality of this fight remains unknown, but Fury and Ibrahimovic clearly suggest that it will take place in Dublin.
The post Tyson Fury hints at shock fight with football icon appeared first on ProBoxing-Fans.com.
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‘𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐍𝐈𝐋𝐄’
𓁀
Who takes it home 
𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐊𝐒𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐑 𝐔𝐒𝐘𝐊 𝐈𝐒 𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊 𝐈𝐍 𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐊𝐄𝐍𝐃 
OLEKSANDR USYK
RICO VERHOEVEN
– FIRST RETURN IN FIGHT WEEK 
