Unified heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk defended his crown against one of the best kickboxers in history in Rico Verhoeven in front of the pyramids

Oleksandr Usyk clung on to his heavyweight world title by the skin of his teeth with a controversial late stoppage of Rico Verhoeven.

Boxing ruler Usyk took on kickboxing legend Verhoeven in front of the pyramids in what was sanctioned as a title defence. And Verhoeven, in just his second professional boxing fight, dominated large swathes of the bout and appeared to be ahead on the scorecards heading into the penultimate round.

But Usyk dropped Verhoeven with an uppercut in the dying embers of the session and although Verhoeven beat the count, the referee stopped the fight with a second remaining following another flurry. “Rico, you are an amazing fighter,” said Usyk. “It was a hard fight, it was a good fight.” Verhoeven added: “It was an early stoppage but it’s not up to me. I believe the referee knows we’re almost at the end of the round, or let me go out on my shield.”

Verhoeven drew a cheer inside 30 seconds when his right hand landed the first shot of the night. Usyk was content to work his way into the fight but shipped a right hand to the body as the underdog snatched the opening session. Verhoeven attempted to make his size advantage count in the second round but Usyk began to land his uppercut.

Verhoeven landed another thudding right at the start of the third stanza before switching to the body. But Usyk finally woke up, landing a right of his own to remind Verhoeven of the task at hand. But it was the Dutchman who ended the round with another backhand.

Usyk suddenly came to life in the fourth round when an uppercut sparked a combination which rocked Verhoeven. The underdog recovered well and answered back with his trusty right. Verhoeven continued to bowl forward in the fifth but Usyk landed a clubbing left.

Verhoeven was still more than holding his own by the midway point and landed a looping right to start the seventh session. Usyk answered back with a left hook but he was soon on the back foot again as Verhoeven refused to wilt, landing a right hand on the bell. The same shot thudded home in the eighth round but even that wasn’t enough to shake the champion from his slumber.

Verhoeven switched his attention to Usyk’s body in the ninth, landing hooks with both hands. And still the challenger marched forward, smothering Usyk and outworking the unbeaten man. But a flurry from Usyk at the end of the session served as a reminder of his threat.

Usyk took that danger into the penultimate session as he rattled off another combination. And finally the challenger hit the canvas before a controversial stoppage from referee Mark Lycett who appeared to call off the fight after the bell had rung.

On the undercard, Hamzah Sheeraz was crowned WBO super-middleweight world champion after a devastating second -round stoppage of Alem Begic. Sheeraz dominated from the opening bell and dropped his German opponent with a left hook from which he failed to recover.

Jack Catterall won a portion of the WBA welterweight world title when he comfortably outpointed Shakhram Giyasov. The Brit had his opponent down in the opening round from a sharp left hand and dominated the next two sessions. Giyasov had his moments in the fourth and fifth but Catterall reasserted his authority and controlled the rest of the bout with all three judges giving him the nod. He could now clash with ‘super’ champion Rolly Romero

Rising American heavyweight star Richard Torrez Jr was knocked out by Frank Sanchez as the Cuban punched his ticket to a world title shot with a stunning second-round stoppage.

ABC News correspondent Selina Wang took to social media to share footage of her first-person experience of the shooting that happened near the White House on Saturday.

In the video, Selina, 33, posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, she was filming a selfie news report for ABC’s social channels, and as she was recording, shots rang out. A man in the background can be heard yelling “no,” as she ducked for cover, with her cellphone falling amid her trying to get to safety.

While some offer open space, clear paths and varied scenery, others can be overcrowded, difficult to navigate, or simply not suited to four-legged walkers.

Now, one scenic route on the edge of Greater Manchester has been named among the UK’s very best dog-friendly hikes, and it’s less than an hour away for Lancashire residents.

The Dovestone Reservoir Circular, near Oldham in the Saddleworth Moors, ranked sixth in a new nationwide study analysing Britain’s top-rated walking routes for dogs.

Outdoor retailer Millets examined more than 114,000 walker reviews, scoring trails based on popularity, user ratings, accessibility and terrain difficulty.

The results showed that the UK’s best dog-friendly walks aren’t necessarily the longest or most challenging; instead, walkers favour routes that combine beautiful scenery with manageable paths and enough open space for dogs to properly enjoy themselves.

The Dovestone route scored highly thanks to its accessible circular paths, waterside scenery and easy terrain, earning an average user rating of 4.7 stars from more than 1,600 reviews.

Stretching around the reservoirs and moorland above Saddleworth, the walk has become increasingly popular with families, casual hikers and dog owners looking for an easy countryside escape close to the city.

Walkers can expect sweeping water views, dramatic hills, stone paths and woodland sections, with plenty of stopping points along the route.

One of the biggest appeals is how accessible the trail feels compared to more demanding Peak District hikes.

While the scenery still delivers rugged northern landscapes, the route itself remains manageable for beginners and dogs alike.

According to Emma Johnson from Dog Owner’s Guide, the best hiking experiences for dogs often come from building up gradually rather than attempting difficult all-day treks immediately.

“You wouldn’t go from a short stroll to a full day hike overnight,” she explained.

“And it’s the same for dogs.”

That balance appears to be exactly why Dovestone Reservoir continues to attract walkers year after year.

The wider study found that Britain’s highest-rated dog-friendly walks typically feature well-maintained paths, varied scenery and moderate difficulty levels, whether through woodland, waterfalls, lakesides or coastal trails.

For walkers in Lancashire and Greater Manchester, however, Dovestone offers something particularly appealing: a scenic countryside route that feels far removed from urban life without requiring a long-distance journey.

And with summer approaching, it may soon become even busier.

A London-bound EasyJet was forced to divert to Rome after a passenger left their charging bank inside their suitcase.

EasyJet flight EZY2618 from Hurghada in Egypt took off on Tuesday evening but diverted to Italy after the crew were informed that a power bank was charging in a passenger’s luggage.

The airline told Sky News it made the landing as a ‘precaution’.

Passenger Paul Casterton, 57, told The Sun: “No one knew what to think. Suddenly the plane changed direction and made a descent. It was hard not to fear the worst.

‘It was stressful until we landed.  Thank goodness it wasn’t a bomb in the hold. Word spread as to the true reason we had been diverted. It was quite an ordeal, but mostly relief that everyone was OK.’

They said: ‘The captain then took the decision to divert as a precaution in line with safety regulations.

‘The aircraft landed safely and passengers disembarked routinely and we provided hotel accommodation and meals where available.

‘As some customers remained in the airport, they were provided with refreshments.

‘The safety of its passengers and crew is easyJet’s highest priority and easyJet operates its fleet of aircraft in strict compliance with all manufacturers’ guidelines.

‘We would like to apologise to all passengers for any inconvenience caused by the diversion and subsequent delay.’

In February a Jet2 flight diverted after a passenger made ‘racist remarks’ before getting into a fight 30,000 ft in the air.

The flight, which was travelling from Antalya, Turkey, to Manchester, England was diverted to Belgium over the ‘appalling behaviour’ of two passengers.

One passenger described it as one of the most ‘distressing experiences’ they had ever had, with some claiming they could see blood and teeth on the floor.

The argument reportedly started after one of the men tried to grab the others’ phone, which was playing music loudly.

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