Oleksandr Usyk is due to defend his WBC world heavyweight title against kickboxing star Rico Verhoeven on May 23.

Usyk was previously undisputed before vacating the WBO belt last year. Controversially, he has been permitted to defend the WBC belt in this upcoming bout against Verhoeven, who is just 1-0 as a pro boxer, but the official stance of the WBA and IBF remains unclear. Though the fight is scheduled, a late change of location may be required.

Usyk vs Verhoeven was booked to take place at the Pyramids of Giza – a striking location for a spectacle fight – but the war in the Middle East may see it moved.

The unified heavyweight champion was asked about this during a recent interview with Suspline Sport, and said that he was aware that a ‘plan B’ is being explored.

“The team is 100% looking at plan B, but I don’t even think about it. I know I have to train, and if anything happens, the team tells me, and I don’t get nervous. I just pray and that’s it.”

The UK’s guidance currently advises against all but essential travel to parts of Egypt amid the US-Iran war. The State Department’s stance for US citizens remains at Level 2 – Exercise Increased Caution for the country, though many regions are at the highest Level 4 advisory of Do Not Travel.

Implications on the sporting world from the war have also been felt in Saudi Arabia, which has become a boxing hub in recent years.

Recently, Formula One cancelled both the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grand Prix weekends due to the ongoing conflict. The situation escalated in early 2026 following direct military exchanges between Iran and the United States, raising security concerns across parts of the Middle East.

Whether the Usyk-Verhoeven card remains in Egypt or is relocated, contingency plans are clearly being considered behind the scenes.

Good morning, BBN!

It is game day for some of the top players in the country as the McDonald’s All-American Game will tip off tonight in Arizona.

For Kentucky, this game has become a time when we get a chance to watch recruits take the floor who will be headed to Lexington next season. At least on the men’s side of things, that is not the case this year, as the Cats have no commitments that made the cut. However, we will get to watch one player that still has Kentucky right at the top of his list in No. 1 overall player Tyran Stokes.

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Originally rumored to be committing tonight, things seem to have shifted once again with a commitment date pushed back, according to Joe Tipton of On3.

March 30th Update: Sources indicate Stokes is now unlikely to announce his commitment on Tuesday. His decision will likely be pushed back a week or so.

Now, we just have to wait and see if that means good news for Mark Pope and his staff, or if it just delays the inevitable, it seems, and he heads to Kansas.

For Kenny Brooks and the women’s team, however, the BBN will get a look at three future Wildcats on the court in Emily McDonald, Savvy Swords, and Maddyn Greenway.

McDonald actually won the 3-point shooting contest, giving fans a glimpse of what she’ll bring to Lexington!

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum met FIFA’s President Gianni Infantino to assess preparations for the 2026 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by Mexico, the United States and Canada in June and July.

Sheinbaum said on her social media account that she had breakfast with Infantino at the National Palace “because we are evaluating everything for the upcoming World Cup,” adding that “everything is going to be wonderful.” 
The tournament kicks off on June 11 at the iconic Azteca Stadium in Mexico City with a match between the hosts and South Africa.

A friendly match between Mexico and Portugal was held at the Mexico City stadium last Saturday as part of the World Cup preparations. The event was marred by the death of a fan who fell from the second tier to the ground floor in the VIP box area.

“This inauguration is going to be historic, exceptional,” said Sheinbaum while holding a FIFA pennant alongside Infantino.

The FIFA president echoed Sheinbaum’s sentiments, assuring that the World Cup will be “a success for Mexico.” 
Infantino has been in Mexico since last week when he attended two Intercontinental Cup playoff matches in Guadalajara and Monterrey. He was also in Mexico City over the weekend for events with the Mexican Football Federation.

Concerns arose following the violent events that occurred on Feb. 22 in several Mexican cities after the capture and death of drug lord Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, “El Mencho,” leader of the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), in southern Jalisco state.

Among the cities hit by the wave of violence was Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco, which will be one of the three Mexican host cities for the World Cup, along with Mexico City and Monterrey, the capital of Nuevo Leon state.

Mexico is scheduled to host 13 World Cup matches.

In early March, Mexican authorities presented their security plan for the World Cup, called “Plan Kukulkan,” which will involve some 100,000 members of the military and police forces, both federal and local.

The plan includes specialized training for officials, planning and operational exercises, early warning systems, security measures around stadiums, airports, roads, and hotels.

Germany beat Switzerland and Ghana in their March friendlies and it’s now less than two months until their World Cup squad will be announced. Who will be in the final 26-man selection? The core group of players is clear, but who made the most of the last international break before World Cup preparation begins and who did not?

Winners

• Kai Havertz – With nearly 60 caps, Havertz is a key part of this team. Having been out with injury for a long time, his starting place was no longer secure but a return to fitness and form is timely. His combination play in Switzerland was impressive, and his roar after confidently dispatching a penalty against Ghana was the sign of a player beginning to hit his stride again. If there were any doubts about his role in the starting eleven, Havertz dispelled them swiftly in these two games.
• Florian Wirtz – Another player who is guaranteed a ticket to the US this summer but who still excelled. His two goals and two assists in Basel speak for themselves. It was an exceptional display and in Stuttgart he helped set the tone, often brave with his choices on the ball. It felt significant that the 22-year-old delivered this display in the absence of Jamal Musiala, the player who he combined so well with at Euro 2024. It’s clear that even on his own, Wirtz can be the man for Germany when they need a spark.
• Lennart Karl – The 18-year-old looked steady off the bench in Basel, but in Stuttgart he exploded into life. Bayern Munich’s newest jewel gave Nagelsmann a lot of good reasons to have him in the squad this summer. The agile little playmaker worked hard to win the ball back and ran at the Ghana defense at every opportunity. His desire to take on players is exciting to watch and an all-too rare a sight for Germany these days. He should have capped his performance off with a goal, but he sent the ball wide. Nevertheless, Karl looks destined to be on the plane now.

Nathaniel Brown – Perhaps it is too generous to say a player who only played 60 minutes against a largely defensive Ghana side was a winner during this international break, but such is the concern around the left-back spot for Germany that it might just be enough. The Frankfurt defender looked more than competent when called upon. A spot in the squad looks almost certain for the 22-year-old now, and given David Raum has not exactly made the spot his own, there is a possibility that even more gametime awaits Brown.

Losers

• Angelo Stiller – He might be Stuttgart’s midfield conductor and darts prodigy Luke Littler’s favorite German player, but Stiller did not make the most of an unexpected chance. Called up after injuries to others, Stiller started both games but looked a little uncertain with the ball at times. He was also slow to close down Switzerland for their opener in Basel, a point that did not go unnoticed by Julian Nagelsmann. Pascal Gross’s decent showing in Stuttgart means it looks like this World Cup might come too soon for Stiller.
• Nico Schlotterbeck – Despite starting both games and clearly being one half of the favored central defensive pairing with Jonathan Tah, the Dortmund defender struggled. He was sloppy in Switzerland, twice making mistakes in the build-up play that proved costly. In Stuttgart he was a bit more stable, but still looked a little out of sorts at times. He will travel and will likely start, but this might have given Nagelsmann food for thought over the recent decision to make Antonio Rüdiger a back-up.
• Nick Woltemade – The plan was for the Newcastle striker to gain some confidence this break after enduring a tricky spell in England. Nagelsmann even spoke about how it made more sense to play a striker needing a boost rather than one in form (Deniz Undav). Sadly, the 24-year-old wasn’t able to make the most of it. In Switzerland, he did little with his 20 minutes off the bench other than head his one chance wide. In Stuttgart, he played almost 80 minutes but still couldn’t get on the scoresheet, missing a glorious chance in the first half and then hitting the bar in the second. He will almost certainly be in squad come May, but until then he needs to rediscover his form.

Edited by: Matt Pearson

In a major interview with German sports magazine kicker at the start of March, Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann had said a team’s belief can emerge in the space of just two games. Those two games this month were against Switzerland and Ghana — and they won both, delivering plenty of evidence that confidence is not something this group is short of.

Against Switzerland on Friday, Germany proved that, if nothing else, they are an entertaining side that can win a high-scoring game. The defensive issues are familiar, but with players like Florian Wirtz in attack, conceding a couple appears something this team is capable of overcoming. 

In Stuttgart on Monday, Germany faced a different test. Against a disjointed Ghana who looked very much like the 72nd best-ranked side in the world, it was the patience not the resilience of Nagelsmann’s side which was tested.

It took until the final minutes of both halves for that patience to be rewarded. After two unsuccessful powerplays, it took Kai Havertz’s coolly-taken penalty in first-half injury time to break the deadlock. And after Abdul Fatawu scored Ghana’s only chance of the game, it took Deniz Undav’s late winner to seal victory.

“It was important to win the game, there was no point in drawing or losing,” Undav told ARD afterwards.

“If we are tactically disciplined, as in the first half, then you can see how tight we keep it. Then we were impatient because we didn’t score,” Nagelsmann said afterwards. “We didn’t have the right players in the right positions anymore, and we were playing a lot of freestyle again, just like in Switzerland. That makes us very vulnerable to counterattacks. I did think we played better here than in Switzerland, though.”

The combination of rain, a raft of substitutions and an out-of-sorts opponent made for an attritional, disjointed game. Germany were never really in danger of losing, but proving they can win these types of games is also valuable experience for this team so close to the World Cup.

Nagelsmann’s team building

Both coach Nagelsmann and captain Joshua Kimmich have made a lot of effort to focus on the strength of the team rather than the combined skill of the individuals. Indeed, as the months turn to weeks before the World Cup, the team building rhetoric has grown stronger.

Both Undav and Nagelsmann voiced their displeasure about the boos Leroy Sané received as he took to the field. That Sané responded by assisting the winner with a brave header was a fitting response. Clearly, this group is growing tighter. A core is clear and competition for spots is heating up.

Left back Nathaniel Brown impressed, but it’s unclear if one good hour is enough to force the question, even in a position that has long been a conundrum for Germany. The same is true for Lennart Karl. The Bayern Munich teenager played just 72 minutes across the two games, but showed flashes of a player that can change momentum.

Perhaps the most intriguing choice will come in attack, where Kai Havertz’s return from injury means Nagelsmann has to decide between the Arsenal man, the out-of-form Nick Woltemade and the in-form and fan-favorite Undav.

Deniz Undav: Germany’s in-form striker

Woltemade missed a chance he probably should have taken in the first half, and in the second, he hit the bar with another good opportunity. Perhaps inevitably, Undav came off the bench and ended up scoring the winner. The man whose name rung around the stadium in Stuttgart even before he came on reminded Woltemade and Nagelsmann of what a striker in form looks like.

His goal was a combination of a perfectly timed run and fantastic instinct in the box. 

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“I know my role for the team but with goals like that perhaps my role will change,” said Undav.

Nagelsmann was unmoved by the Stuttgart striker’s comments, with it appearing increasingly likely that Undav will be used as an impact player off the bench.

Ultimately, for all the positives in March the real answer will come this summer, once Germany’s 26-man squad are picked and they head out to the tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

But the signs two and a half months out are encouraging. Does this team really believe it can win the World Cup? Who knows, but they probably feel better about their chances now than last year and if ever there was a time to boost your confidence and find your belief, it’s April of a World Cup year.

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Edited by: Matt Ford

In the WWE RAW episode from Madison Square Garden, The Usos lost the World Tag Team Titles to The Vision. Logan Paul and Austin Theory dethroned the Samoan Twins, with help from IShowSpeed.

Jey and Jimmy Uso losing the titles came as a surprise for many, particularly when we were just inches away from WrestleMania 42. In this article, we will be looking at three potential reasons why The Usos are no longer the World Tag Team Champions.

#3. To write them off WWE television

One reason for the title switch could be the motive of writing The Usos off television. Naomi, the real-life wife of Jimmy Uso, is currently on break from television due to pregnancy.

So, there’s a chance Jimmy needs a break for personal reasons. However, as the World Tag Team Champion, WWE can’t put him off TV, especially with WrestleMania approaching.

Considering this, the company took the titles away from The Usos, and now they may remain absent from the red brand for a few weeks.

#2. To set up a feud between The Usos and LA Knight

Things between LA Knight and The Usos aren’t going well on Monday Night RAW. In the latest episode, The Megastar was involved in the World Tag Team Title match. The Usos got distracted when IShowSpeed hit Knight ringside.

So, eventually, Knight is another reason for the Samoan Twins’ title loss. It raises the possibility that the Stamford-based promotion might want to set up a feud between The Usos and LA Knight.

As a result, they took the titles from Jey & Jimmy because it will heat things up between LA Knight and The Bloodline members.

#1. Lack of credible challengers on WWE RAW

Since The Usos became the World Tag Team Champions, they haven’t defended their titles on multiple occasions. Even the Samoan Twins had no credible challengers on the red brand.

This led to no hype around The Usos, despite them being tag team titleholders. Therefore, a lack of credible challengers could be another reason for the title change on Monday Night RAW.

WWE may now move Austin Theory and Logan Paul to the tag team division, particularly in the absence of Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed. On the other hand, The Usos can be incorporated into the CM Punk vs. Roman Reigns match at WrestleMania 42.