Teddy Atlas has offered his expert insight on the controversial ending between Oleksandr Usyk and Rico Verhoeven.

The closing stages of the heavyweight showdown between Usyk and Verhoeven has been a hot topic over the past 24 hours, with some of boxing’s biggest names weighing in with their views on how things unfolded.

It was an extremely underwhelming performance from Usyk, who, heading into the contest, was expected to deal with kickboxing legend Verhoeven with relative ease, though it certainly didn’t transpire that way.

As the fight entered the championship rounds, the Ukrainian was behind on a lot of people’s scorecards, but he managed to find the big shot he needed by dropping Verhoeven at the end of round 11.

The Dutchman got back to his feet, but as Usyk went in for the kill, referee Mark Lyson decided to stop the bout, which has caused a lot of controversy amongst a large number of boxing fans, especially as the bell appeared to ring before the stoppage occurred.

Well-respected analyst and trainer Atlas has revealed his thoughts on the matter, posting on social media to state that while he thinks Usyk may have got the knockout anyway, he thinks it was a poor decision from the referee.

“Yes terrible job by ref stopping fight after the bell, also horrible TV production not showing a clock. Usyk would have stopped him in 12th though.”

There have since been plenty of calls for a rematch between Usyk and Verhoeven, but it appears that the Ukrainian could now head into a long-awaited clash against WBC mandatory challenger Agit Kabayel.

The New York Knicks are one win away from their first NBA Finals appearance since 1999, and if the mobs around Madison Square Garden after victories are any indication, it will be pandemonium in New York City if it happens.

Furthermore, a ticket to get into “The Garden” for the Finals is bound to be pricy, as they have throughout the playoffs. But no one may have expected what two courtside seats have already sold for.

Sports business reporter Darren Rovell confirmed a sale of two courtside tickets at MSG for the NBA Finals that went for a whopping $279,804.   

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Karl-Anthony Towns of the New York Knicks celebrates after making a basket against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the third quarter in Game Two of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals at Madison Square Garden in New York City on May 21, 2026. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

The purchase was made on StubHub, the secondary ticket company, for what would be the Knicks’ first home game in the Finals. That would be Game 3, as the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs both have higher seeds than the Knicks in these NBA Playoffs.

Jaw-dropping is an understatement for a price of that magnitude, but that’s also have crazy it has been to see potential history for one of the most storied franchises in the sport.

NEW YORK READY TO COMBUST AS NYPD SHUT DOWN KNICKS WATCH PARTY OUTSIDE MADISON SQUARE GARDEN

It’s been 53 years since the Knicks last won an NBA title, dating back to the years with Walt “Clyde Frazier,” Phil Jackson, Dick Barnett, Willis Reed and Bill Bradley. The Knicks won two titles in 1970 and 1973, as Red Holzman’s squad was etched in basketball lore forever.

Since that 1973 victory, the Knicks have been to the NBA Finals just twice, the first in 1994 when the Houston Rockets secured a Game 7 victory, 90-84, to crush New York’s dreams.

Miles McBride and Mikal Bridges of the New York Knicks celebrate after McBride’s 3-pointer against the Philadelphia 76ers during the first quarter in Game Four of the NBA Eastern Conference playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pa., on May 10, 2026. (Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)

Then, in 1999, the likes of Patrick Ewing, Latrell Sprewell, Allan Houston and current Knicks coach Rick Brunson, the father of All-Star guard Jalen Brunson, made it back to the Finals and faced off against a potential opponent this year — the Spurs.

But Tim Duncan and company got the job done in just five games, defeating the Knicks, 78-77, in Game 5 to celebrate their title on the MSG hardwood.

Knicks fans are hoping that’s not the case this time around, but they have to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers one more time after taking a commanding 3-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals after a road win on Saturday night. New York has now won 10 straight playoff games, and their only two losses in the First Round against the Atlanta Hawks came by one point.

As a result, fans are already looking at tickets for that Game 3 in the Garden. As of Sunday night, the cheapest ticket to get into the building on StubHub is going for $3,554 in Section 418.

New York Knicks’ Jalen Brunson reacts after scoring during the second half of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers in New York, New York, on May 19, 2026. (Seth Wenig/AP Photo)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

For comparison, the cheapest ticket for a potential Game 1 of the NBA Finals at Paycor Center — the home of the Oklahoma City Thunder, who lead the Spurs, 2-1, in the Western Conference Finals — is $1,252 on StubHub. The one floor seat available is going for $32,106 as of Sunday night.

The Knicks could earn their spot in the NBA Finals on Memorial Day, where they take on the Cavaliers in Game 4 in Cleveland at 8 p.m.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Bella Belen (left) and Alyssa Solomon during their heydays as the top 1-2 punch in the UAAP for National U. —UAAP MEDIA

The winner of the sweepstakes for Alyssa Solomon, the consensus top overall pick in the coming PVL Rookie Draft, will be known on Monday when Capital1, Galeries Tower, ZUS Coffee and Choco Mucho put the fate of their respective franchises on ping pong balls at TV5 Media Center.

Set at 6:30 p.m., any of the four teams will get a fortune-changing pick in the prolific Solomon, the former National University star in the UAAP, with Capital1 having the highest chance with a 40-percent probability, followed by Galeries with 30, ZUS Coffee with 20, and first-time lottery team Choco Mucho with 10 percent.

Last year, the Solar Spikers only had a 30 percent chance and after luckily drawing the top overall pick, they turned it into Bella Belen, Solomon’s NU teammate and now the face of the Capital1 franchise.

And should Capital1 be second time lucky, it could own the best 1-2 punch ever to come out of the UAAP in years, which could come in handy with newly acquired Vanie Gandler and Erika Santos, the ex-Cignal standouts who found their way to the Solar Spikers’ camp.

The best setter in the pool, Lams Lamina, also an ex-NU star, is also a prospective lottery pick who could also come in handy for Capital1 with Belen, Gandler and Santos already making up the offense.

Solomon on Friday made the surprise announcement of entering the 2026 Draft Class following a Japan SV.League stint with powerhouse Osaka Marvelous and a historic silver-medal run with Alas Pilipinas in last year’s AVC Women’s Cup.

Her agent at Hustle and Groove, though, previously told the Inquirer that the 6-foot-1 opposite spiker isn’t closing her doors on overseas opportunities, with aspirants still allowed to withdraw from the proceedings until June 1.

Solomon could be the missing piece for Galeries, which drafted Jean Asis at No. 2 last year or even for the struggling teams like ZUS Coffee, which placed last in the All-Filipino after a runner-up finish in the Reinforced Conference, and Choco Mucho.

Besides Solomon and Lamina, University of Santo Tomas captain and two-time UAAP Best Libero Detdet Pepito and four-time UAAP Best Middle Blocker Niña Ytang from the University of the Philippines have already thrown their hats into the pool.

Also declaring for the draft are Far Eastern University setter Tin Ubaldo, UP’s Irah Jaboneta and Joan Monares, UST’s Jonah Perdido and Xyza Gula, Ateneo playmaker Taks Fujimoto and Adamson’s Barbie Jamili.

League commissioner Sherwin Malonzo will do the lottery, alongside a representative from the Games and Amusements Board.

Hours before the balls drop, the PVL will release the complete, approved list of draft applicants eligible for the mandatory Rookie Draft Combine, scheduled for May 28 to May 29 at the Gameville Ballpark in Mandaluyong City. INQ

NEW DELHI: Former Karnataka Ranji cricketer SL Akshay died on Sunday after reportedly suffering a heart attack while playing a local division cricket match in Bengaluru. The 39-year-old, who was from Shivamogga, had earlier represented Karnataka in the Ranji Trophy and also featured in the Karnataka Premier League, now called the Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20.According to reports, Akshay was playing a third-division match at a ground in KR Puram. During fielding in the afternoon, he suddenly complained of chest pain. He was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared that he had been brought dead.Akshay’s death shocked the Karnataka cricket fraternity, with many former players and officials expressing grief. Former India cricketer Dodda Ganesh shared an emotional message on X. “Terrible terrible news for the cricket community. SL Akshay, 39, a fast bowler, whom I saw from close quarters from his U19 days has passed away today while playing a division match,” he wrote. “Just don’t have words to express my grief. A soft spoken guy who played for Karnataka in 2011/12 with decent success, is no more. RIP Akshay.”The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) also paid tribute to Akshay and remembered his role in developing young talent after his playing career. In a statement, KSCA said, “Akshay represented Karnataka with distinction at the first-class level and, even beyond his playing career, continued to serve the game with unwavering passion and dedication. As a junior-level coach, he played a pivotal role in nurturing and mentoring young cricketers, leaving an enduring impact on the development of cricketing talent in the State.”

The NASCAR world came together on Sunday evening at Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Coca-Cola 600, but most importantly to honor the life of Kyle Busch.

Over the past three days, tributes have poured in from across the world in honor of the legendary driver who died this past week due to complications from pneumonia. During the Indy 500 earlier in the day, the sport held a moment of silence for Busch, with multiple drivers paying tribute in their own ways.

But it was during the pre-race ceremonies in Charlotte, the home of NASCAR, where we could all feel the true impact on the legacy left behind by Kyle Busch.

In their first public appearance since his death, family members took to pit road for an emotional remembrance of Busch’s life.

TWO-TIME NASCAR CUP SERIES CHAMPION KYLE BUSCH TRAGICALLY DIES AT 41 AFTER HOSPITALIZATION

Surrounded by drivers and team owner Richard Childress, along with his brother Kurt Busch and family, Kyle’s wife Samantha and son Brexton stood next to NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell as bagpipes rang out “Amazing Grace,” which led to a plethora of emotional reactions from those in attendance, along with fans at home.

NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Childress, Samantha Busch, Brexton Busch and NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell attend a remembrance ceremony for Kyle Busch on the grid before the NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C., on May 24, 2026. (Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Family of Kyle Busch makes first appearance after passing

As those in attendance raised Kyle Busch flags in the air, held up the No. 8 and shed tears, the strength of Samantha Busch and her son Brexton was an overwhelming moment.

“Every racetrack was Kyle Busch’s home. He competed like he had something to prove every single race, when in reality he had already proven everything,” CEO Steve O’Donnell noted. “What I think we’ll miss the most isn’t the wins. It’s the guy who quietly wanted to help a teammate, give some advice, the husband, the father, the guy who quietly did thing for others when no one was watching.”

KYLE BUSCH’S ICONIC NO. 18 WILL APPEAR IN THE INDIANAPOLIS 500 IN TRIBUTE TO LATE DRIVER

The tributes will continue from here, given how much of an impact Kyle Busch had on fans of the sport at every racetrack he ran. We have seen numerous videos released, with Amazon Prime putting together a touching video package that was narrated by Dale Earnhardt Jr. that most certainly led to emotional tears from those watching at home.

NASCAR fans react in the grandstands during a remembrance ceremony for Kyle Busch before the NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C., on May 24, 2026. (Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

In reality, a NASCAR weekend at any track can lead to thousands of personnel coming together each week, with a reach that is so broad that it spans to four different series. During his time in the sport, Kyle Busch ran in each one of them, with his impact being felt across the country.

“Samantha, I want you to know that this sport stands with you, and you and your children are NASCAR family forever,” Steve O’Donnell said during the pre-race ceremony. “Brexton and Lennix, your dad loves you with all his heart. Everyone gathered here, everyone behind you, everyone watching on TV and all those people up in that grandstand, they are your family and we’ve got you.”

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

KYLE BUSCH’S CHILLING MESSAGE AFTER FINAL NASCAR WIN A PAINFUL ENDING FOR MOURNING FANS

There won’t be a day that goes by in which we don’t think of ‘Rowdy’ Kyle Busch and what he did for the sport of NASCAR.

Kyle Busch celebrates the final win of his NASCAR career at Dover Motor Speedway. (Photo by David Hahn/Icon Sportswire)

What happened on the track in Charlotte was just as beautiful, as fans stood in unison on lap eight, as the cars came speeding by the grandstand to a raucous number of cheers.

This, along with hundreds of other small moments over the past few days, will be remembered for decades to come.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

A young NASCAR fan sits on the steps of the No. 8 hauler after Kyle Busch died suddenly at age 41, before the NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C., on May 24, 2026. (Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

In the aftermath of a tragic passing that has rocked the sport, NASCAR came together Sunday evening to honor the life of a driver that will never be forgotten.

Rest in peace to Kyle Busch, whose legacy will live on forever.