Kickboxing star Rico Verhoeven is a “serious fighter,” according to Tyson Fury’s former trainer, who believes his charge will exceed expectations against Oleksandr Usyk.

The bona fide heavyweight king has been permitted to defend his WBC title against Verhoeven, headlining a Ring Magazine show at Egypt’s Pyramids of Giza on May 23.

Ordinarily, a sanctioning body would not allow such a contest to take place for its belt, with world title challengers typically needing to be ranked in the top 15 of a recognised organisation.

The WBC, however, has seemingly invoked article 3.3 (c) of its Rules and Regulations, stating that such title defences can take place under ‘special circumstances’.

Indeed, this does appear to be a ‘special’ event – based on its location alone – yet many boxing fans will nonetheless be unfamiliar with Verhoeven’s credentials.

This is because the 36-year-old has had just one outing in a professional boxing ring, resulting in a second-round stoppage victory over Janos Finfera who, back when they fought in 2014, had a record of 0-5.

Nevertheless, the Dutchman’s trainer, Peter Fury, who trained his nephew Tyson for his famous win over Wladimir Klitschko back in 2015, has told Boxing King Media that, beyond his decorated kickboxing career, Verhoeven is well-versed in the art of pugilism.

“People need to get behind this fight, because I can tell you now: I’m certainly not going to turn up on the world stage [and] embarrass myself, and embarrass my fighter.

“My fighter’s a serious fighter, so this will be a great fight. Trust me. Usyk’s an incredible champion. I respect him as a fighter, a boxer, and I respect him as a human being.

“And I respect Rico. So I’m going to do my job, and I’m going to enjoy it, and whatever the outcome is, it is.”

While Usyk will definitely defend his WBC title against Verhoeven, it remains to be seen whether his IBF and WBA straps will also be on the line.

Either way, the likes of WBC ‘interim’ champion Agit Kabayel and No.1 contender Lawrence Okolie are likely irked to have not been given their shot at the Ukrainian’s belt.

Sachin Tendulkar lauds J&K’s Ranji Trophy win (Photos by PTI)

NEW DELHI: The cricket fraternity came together to celebrate Jammu & Kashmir’s historic maiden Ranji Trophy triumph, as tributes poured in from legends and administrators alike.Sachin Tendulkar hailed the moment as a beautiful transformation for the region. “The Kashmir willows have been a part of many champions’ kits. To see Jammu & Kashmir’s journey from being an enabler of champions, to becoming champions themselves, is beautiful,” he wrote on X.

Reflecting on the team’s campaign, he added, “The season was built on consistency, resilience, and season-long excellence. Auqib Nabi’s impact with the ball stood out in a demanding campaign.“A historic moment for the team, coaches, and support staff. Journeys like these define the beauty of domestic cricket.”ICC chairman Jay Shah also congratulated the team after their fairytale win over Karnataka in their first-ever Ranji final. “Congratulations to the Jammu & Kashmir team in India for scripting a remarkable story of grit and perseverance. While the players are fully deserving of the adulation they receive, one must also remember the contribution of the coaching staff, management and administrators from J&K who have toiled behind the scenes to fashion this landmark achievement. I am sure that this win will ignite belief in the hearts of the current generation from the region and drive the next one to pick up a bat or ball. Our sport is rich with such stories of inspiration from around the world, and I hope this one also receives its fair share of admiration,” he wrote.Mohammad Kaif shared, “Historic day for Jammu & Kashmir cricket. Having led UP to its first Ranji Trophy title, I know what this moment means to the players and the state. More players from J&K will now believe that they too can do it.”Irfan Pathan posted, “Many congratulations to J&K cricket for creating history by winning the first-ever Ranji Trophy. I never had even a shadow of a doubt that you guys will achieve this and many more trophies.”Aakash Chopra wrote, “Jammu & Kashmir, you beauty. The story for the ages. So so happy for what our boys have achieved. Indian cricket is in a safe and happy place.”Shikhar Dhawan added, “Historic moment for Jammu & Kashmir cricket. Maiden Ranji Trophy title built on belief, strong leadership from Paras Dogra, and a remarkable season with the ball from Auqib Nabi. Big contributions from Shubham Pundir, Yawer Hassan, Qamran Iqbal, Sahil Lotra, Abdul Samad, and the entire unit. Proud moment.”Harbhajan Singh said, “Will to win, that’s what matters. What a day for Jammu & Kashmir. Well done, simply outstanding, winning the Ranji Trophy isn’t easy at all. They have played terrific cricket throughout the season and played like a unit: many congratulations and many more trophies to come. Great to see Cricket growing in the Jammu and Kashmir region.”Yuvraj Singh posted, “Unbelievable! History has been written today! Huge congratulations to the Jammu & Kashmir team for clinching their maiden #RanjiTrophy title after 67 long years! Dominating Karnataka with pure grit, heart, and unbreakable spirit. Proud beyond words of #AuqibNabi’s fire, #QamranIqbal’s masterclass, and the entire squad and training staff’s belief! J&K cricket has arrived! Keep shining, boys!”Suresh Raina simply wrote, “Congratulations on the maiden Ranji Trophy, Jammu & Kashmir.“Jammu & Kashmir crowned the Ranji Trophy champions for the first time ever. A monumental moment for the state and domestic cricket!! Well done, team, truly well deserved.”

The Houston Rockets look to win their fourth game in a row when they battle the Miami Heat in a key NBA matchup on Saturday. Houston is coming off a 113-108 win at Orlando on Thursday, while Miami dropped a 124-117 decision at Philadelphia that same night. The Rockets (37-21), who are second in the Southwest Division, are 17-14 on the road this season. The Heat (31-29), who are second in the Southeast Division, are 17-11 on their home floor. Jabari Smith (ankle) is out for Houston, while Miami will be without Nikola Jovic (back) and Norman Powell (groin).

Tipoff from Kaseya Center in Miami is set for 3:30 p.m. ET. The Heat lead the all-time series 42-34, including wins in nine of the last 10 meetings. The Rockets are 3.5-point favorites in the latest Rockets vs. Heat odds from DraftKings Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is 225.5. Before making any Heat vs. Rockets picks, check out the NBA predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.

New users can target the DraftKings promo code, which offers $200 in bonus bets if your first $5+ bet wins:

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in betting profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past eight-plus seasons. The model entered Week 19 on a sizzling 38-18 roll on top-rated NBA spread picks dating back to last season. Anyone following its NBA betting advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen huge returns.

Now, the model has simulated Rockets vs. Heat 10,000 times and just revealed its coveted NBA picks and betting predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are several NBA odds and NBA betting lines for Heat vs. Rockets:

New users can also target the latest Underdog promo code CBSSPORTS2, good for $75 in fantasy bonus entries when you play $5 in select states.

Top Rockets vs. Heat predictions

After 10,000 simulations of Rockets vs. Heat, SportsLine’s model is going Over on the total (225.5). The Over has hit in five of the past eight head-to-head matchups between the teams. The Over has hit in each of the past three Houston games, and in four of the last five Miami games. The Rockets are 5-5 against the spread in their last 10 games. The Heat, meanwhile, are 6-4 ATS in their last 10.

The SportsLine model is projecting the Rockets’ Kevin Durant to score 26.8 points on average and be one of five Houston players to score 12.5 or more points. The Heat’s Tyler Herro, meanwhile, is projected to have 19.8 points as five Miami players score 10.7 points or more. The teams are projected to combine for 233 points.

How to make Heat vs. Rockets picks

The model also says one side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time. You can head to SportsLine to see the model’s NBA picks. 

So who wins Heat vs. Rockets, and which side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Rockets vs. Heat spread to back, all from the model that has returned well over $10,000 on top-rated NBA picks, and find out.

Soccer legend Lionel Messi was tackled to the ground during a friendly in Puerto Rico on Thursday.

It happened around the 88th minute of an exhibition tour match. Several fans jumped onto the pitch at Juan Ramón Loubriel stadium. Messi’s team, Inter Miami, was playing Ecuador’s Independiente del Valle in Bayamón when a fan ran to the center circle and grabbed Messi by the waist before both were pulled down by a security guard.

Messi appeared to be unharmed. The Argentine star immediately got up and walked to another part of the pitch.

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A fan is chased by security guards after jumping onto the pitch to greet Lionel Messi during a friendly game between Independiente del Valle and Inter Miami on Feb. 26, 2026, in San Juan, Puerto Rico.  (Leopoldo Smith/Getty Images)

Messi’s security guard situation has been a subject of fan fascination for years, especially after he came to the U.S. to join Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami. 

His main bodyguard, Yassine Chueko, has gone viral in previous years for hovering alertly over Messi while the star was playing soccer. However, in 2025, Inter Miami changed Chueko’s role to prevent him from being on the field to guard Messi from pitch invaders. 

Chueko expressed concern and frustration over the decision, warning it could result in Messi getting tackled.

Lionel Messi’s bodyguard took down overzealous fans. (Getty Images)

“They don’t allow me to be on the field anymore,” the bodyguard said in an interview with social media channel House of Highlights.

“I was in Europe for seven years, working for Ligue 1 and the Champions League, and only six people invaded the pitch. I came to the USA, and in just 20 months, 16 people have already done so. There’s a huge problem here. I’m not the problem. Let me help Messi.”

An Inter Miami team spokesperson previously told ESPN it was a club decision, not MLS’, to not have Cheuko on the sidelines. However, Cheuko remains an employee of the club and part of the security detail, and escorts Messi daily.

Now, at the start of 2026, a pitch invader has successfully reached Messi on the field and brought the 38-year-old superstar to the ground, in Cheuko’s absence. 

Thursday’s match was originally scheduled for Feb. 13, but was postponed because Messi felt discomfort in his leg during the previous exhibition match against Barcelona SC of Ecuador.

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A fan is detained by security guards after jumping onto the field to greet Lionel Messi, during a friendly game between Independiente del Valle and Inter Miami on Feb. 26, 2026, in San Juan, Puerto Rico.  (Leopoldo Smith/Getty Images)

Santiago Morales and Messi scored in the 16th and 70th minutes respectively to give Inter Miami a 2-1 win.

Miami, which started its MLS season with a 3-0 loss to LAFC, faces Orlando City next Sunday.

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Having adopted the moniker “The Best Ever,” Floyd Mayweather Jr. unsurprisingly considers himself the greatest fighter of all time, but when naming athe second best, he chose a man he describes as a “legend.”

Mayweather became boxing’s fourth five-division world champion during his time in the ring, picking up belts at each weight that he fought at; boxing between super-featherweight and light-middleweight.

Over the course of his career, the Michigan-born fighter trumped the likes of Manny Pacquiao, Oscar De La Hoya and Juan Manuel Marquez, all whilst maintaining his fabled undefeated record and rarely taking any real damage.

In 2017, after a lucrative showdown with UFC superstar Conor McGregor, Mayweather hung up the gloves with a flawless 50-0 record, walking away from the sport as one of the greatest pound-for-pound figures of all time – in his eyes, in top spot.

Speaking to Fox Sports, Mayweather discussed which fighters he believed to be closest to him in the all-time rankings. He named Panamanian icon Roberto Duran as boxing’s second best, appreciating his efforts to move up from lightweight and dethrone welterweight ruler Sugar Ray Leonard in 1980.

“Duran number 2. [He was] unbelievable. He was the guy that came from lightweight and beat Sugar Ray Leonard. I love that guy, he is a legend.”

Astonishingly, Mayweather is now scheduled for a professional comeback, as he rematches Manny Pacquiao at The Sphere in Las Vegas on Saturday, September 9.

Before that, the 49-year-old will take on Mike Tyson in a bizarre exhibition bout in the Democratic Republic of Congo.