Former world champion Tony Bellew, who suffered an eighth-round stoppage defeat to Oleksandr Usyk in 2018, has given his thoughts on Rico Verhoeven’s chances against the masterful Ukrainian.

It was announced on Friday that Usyk will defend his WBC title against the kickboxing star on May 23, headlining a show at Egypt’s Pyramids of Giza, though the WBC have since offered an update suggesting the belt may not be on the line.

Needless to say, this is a terrifically tall order for Verhoeven, whose only professional boxing outing came via a second-round finish over Janos Finfera – whose record was 0-5 at the time – in 2014.

Usyk, meanwhile, has firmly cemented himself as the greatest heavyweight of this era, having twice beaten Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois.

The 39-year-old’s last outing, a fifth-round finish over Dubois in July, also saw him become a three-time, two-division undisputed champion, adding to his accolades across the professional and amateur ranks.

Since then, though, Usyk has relinquished his WBO world title – now held by Fabio Wardley – while his IBF and WBA belts are seemingly not up for grabs for his clash with Verhoeven.

But still, Usyk is widely regarded as the bona fide heavyweight king, while Verhoeven remains a largely unknown quantity in the professional boxing arena.

Taking to social media, Bellew said he expects the ‘dangerous’ 36-year-old to be in the fight for just over two rounds, before facing the full force of Usyk’s brilliance.

“He’ll come in and give it everything with no hesitation and will [not] show respect which will make it interesting for about 6/7 mins!

“Once this passes he’ll be given a painful lesson! He’s big, brave and dangerous but has no boxing IQ at this level! This isn’t sparring!”

Verhoeven has been training with respected coach Peter Fury, and boasts a decorated kickboxing background, but has ultimately never encountered a fighter like Usyk.

Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza has established himself as the top quarterback prospect in this draft class. However, he did not participate in athletic testing or on-field drills in Indianapolis. He quite literally stepped aside to watch his peers — LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, Alabama’s Ty Simpson, Miami’s Carson Beck and others — fight for the right to be the second quarterback taken in April’s draft.

At least two quarterbacks have been taken in the first round every year over the past decade except one (Kenny Pickett in 2022). A year ago, Miami’s Cam Ward went No. 1 overall to the Titans, but the next quarterback (Jaxson Dart) did not come off the board until No. 25 overall. Will a second quarterback rise into the first round?

Here is how several quarterbacks fared Saturday at the NFL Scouting Combine:

The 2026 NFL Draft will take place April 23–25 in Pittsburgh. You can find more draft coverage at CBSSports.com, including weekly mock drafts and regular evaluations of the top prospects.

Grading top QB prospects

• Measurables: 6-foot-4¾, 236 pounds, 9½-inch hands, 31⅞-inch arm length, 76¾-inch wingspan
• Testing: Did not participate in on-field testing

Grade: N/A — Fernando Mendoza did not take part in any athletic testing, but he was on the field supporting other competitors and chatting with former Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck.

The Hoosier drew loud applause from the home-state crowd and carried a smile everywhere he went. Mendoza remains the presumptive No. 1 overall selection.

• Measurables: 6-foot-1⅛, 211 pounds, 9⅜-inch hands, 30⅞-inch arm length, 76½-inch wingspan
• Testing: Did not participate in on-field testing

Grade: A — Ty Simpson had what I considered only two bad throws on the day — one on an out route and another on the rail. From the out route to the go route, Simpson threw with touch and strong ball placement. The son of Tennessee-Martin head coach Jason Simpson showed quiet feet with little wasted movement in his footwork.

The Alabama quarterback is an interesting evaluation. He is an older prospect with essentially one year of starting experience, and the results of that season were volatile. His performance separated him as QB2 in this class, which could mean late first-round or early second-round consideration.

• Measurables: 6-foot-2, 203 pounds, 9⅛-inch hands, 30⅜-inch arm length
• Testing: Did not participate in on-field testing

Grade: B+ — Two of Garrett Nussmeier’s first four throws were his worst, but he quickly settled in and avoided further erratic passes. Ball placement could have been better on the rail throws, but overall he did a nice job leading receivers and giving them opportunities to make plays on the football.

Nussmeier battled an injury all season. It showed up on tape but was not confirmed until the combine. When healthy, Nussmeier — the son of Saints offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier — has proven to be one of the most reliable options at the position. He is QB3 for me and a likely Day 2 pick.

• Measurables: Measurables: 6-foot-4¾, 233 pounds, 10-inch hands, 30⅝-inch arm length, 75-inch wingspan
• Testing: Did not participate in on-field testing

Grade: B+ — Carson Beck started his throwing session strong, showing quality accuracy and timing on out routes. He also threw the comeback and hinge routes well. His touch waned slightly on deep balls, which were inconsistent; he charted two off-target throws and two well-placed passes.

Beck is in the conversation to be the second or third quarterback off the board, which likely translates to a Day 2 selection.

• Measurables: 6-foot-5¼, 228 pounds, 9⅞-inch hands, 32¾-inch arm length, 79⅝-inch wingspan
• Testing: Did not participate in on-field testing

Grade: B — Drew Allar struggled early, with errant throws on out routes and an initially sloppy performance. At times he looked like he was fighting his lower body due to inconsistent footwork, but he grew more comfortable as drills progressed and performed his best during the second half of the throwing session. The Ohio native was particularly effective go balls, comebacks and fade routes.

Allar has prototypical size and remains a candidate to come off the board on Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft.

2026 NFL combine: This draft prospect just put together the best quarterback performance of all-time

Brad Crawford

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Other standouts

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• Measurables: 6-foot-1¾, 210 pounds, 9-inch hands, 29⅞-inch arm length
• Testing: 4.72-second 40-yard dash, 32-inch vertical jump, 114-inch broad jump

Luke Altmyer may have been the most consistent quarterback from start to finish in the first group. Decision-makers wanted to see ball placement and anticipation regardless of route, and he checked that box — from comeback and out routes to go balls and fades.

He was also one of a handful of quarterbacks to participate in athletic testing, which spoke to his competitiveness

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• Measurables: 6-foot-2⅝, 232 pounds, 10¼-inch hands, 31⅝-inch arm length
• Testing: 4.56 second 40-yard dash, 40-inch vertical jump, 130-inch broad jump

Cole Payton caused some early timing issues during the cauntlet because he is left-handed. His athletic testing impressed more than his on-field work, which was fine but not exceptional.

The gap to the runner-up was minimal, but Tempted cemented her elite sprinting filly credentials for the generation courtesy of a Group One Surround Stakes triumph full of elegance.

Going to 1400m for just her second attempt, Tempted was travelling comfortably in third gear entering the Randwick straight and began to unwind, yet pacesetter Savvy Hallie dug in hard, requiring the three-year-old to produce her best.

Under pressure from pilot Chad Schofield, the $1.60 top elect’s talent emerged as she lengthened stride close home to beat Savvy Hallie ($10) by a long head, as Ole Dancer ($9) trailed by an additional 1-3/4 lengths in third.

“Chad, he knew what he had underneath him. I was actually thinking, God, you can get a little more desperate’ halfway down the straight,” a relieved trainer Ciaron Maher said.

“The 14 (1400m) is probably right at the top of her distance range, as we’ve seen. She’s run second and now won at Group One level, but you’d think she is more dynamic at six (furlongs,1200m).”

Away from victory lane behind Hong Kong standout Ka Ying Rising when second in The Everest (1200m) in the spring as a three-year-old, Tempted is likely to face elder rivals again in the T J Smith Stakes (1200m).

Still, Maher will confer with Godolphin principals before settling on Tempted’s following target, making clear no overseas venture was on the cards soon.

“I travelled a three-year-old filly in Coolangatta, and I thought it was a bit early for her,” Maher said.

“This horse, we know she does have a bit of a temperament, so I just thought, maybe a little bit later in life.”

Addressing if Tempted belonged with his finest sprinters, Maher affirmed she outshone 2024 Everest conqueror Bella Nipotina similarly aged, pending her sustained excellence.

“She is definitely right up there. She ran second to the best sprinter in the world as a three-year-old. You’d think with furnishing, she is only going to get better,” he said.

The Savvy Hallie camp experienced a rollercoaster end, thrilled by her resolve yet crushed by the photo-finish Group 1 loss.

“Heartbreaking to get beaten,” jockey Nash Rawiller said.

“I loved her tenacity. She made Tempted really work for it. She was great.”

Apocalyptic, sent off second favourite, labored to fourth place five lengths away, according to jockey Tommy Berry who said she never travelled well.

“She didn’t stretch out in the straight so it’s not the Apocalyptic we know,” Berry said.

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Three years after a horrifying crash in the Australian Guineas that almost killed him, Ethan Brown basked in glory at Flemington, steering Observer to the Group 1 title.

In the 2024 edition, Brown on Maximillius hit the deck in Flemington’s straight during the Australian Guineas, sustaining liver lacerations and kidney damage.

Brown faced an extended fightback, electing additional rest post-initial comeback to restore his condition fully.

Positioned among Melbourne’s elite jockeys, Brown is central to Ciaron Maher’s yard, preparers of Observer who landed Saturday’s Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington.

National Assistant Trainer Jack Turnbull for Maher shared his tight bond with Brown.

“I see him sometimes more than my fiancee Tian during the week,” Turnbull said.

“He’s a big part of our team. He’s there two or three mornings a week, trials, gallops and he’s one of the blokes you can ring up at any time and have a chat about the horses.

“He’s a special horse but he’s got a special rider and it’s special we got the job done today.”

Dismissed at $1.85, Observer held off Planet Red ($7) by half a length, with Sixties ($3.20) a mere short-head adrift in third.

Observer stepped into history Saturday, replicating Mahogany by securing the Victoria Derby in spring then the autumn C S Hayes Stakes and Australian Guineas.

Maher’s Hitotsu duplicated the pattern post-2021 Derby with a 2022 Guineas win on resumption.

Turnbull highlighted the win’s value for Observer, assuring stallion status and versatile paths forward for the colt.

“You’ve got the Australian Cup, Rosehill Guineas, Doncaster Mile, if you waited a little bit longer, but winning this race really allows us to pivot and target races against the older horses if Godolphin desires,” Turnbull said.

“He’s probably the closest thing we’ve likened to Hitotsu in terms of his racing style.

“He’s probably not as dynamic, but his ability to be winning a Derby and coming back to be a Group 1 mile Guineas winner at his next preparation is hard to do.

“We’re in a lovely position and we can savour the moment and really enjoy the win.”

The ride delivered Brown’s 11th Group 1, though he noted the fence position on the favourite sparked concerns.

“I’m sure the punters were thinking ‘what’s going on here’,” Brown said.

“The main thing with him is getting him to relax and settle. That meant having to go down to the fence and riding a cool, patient race on him.

“From there on in, the track is fair, we stuck to the fence and he did the rest.

“He’s a superstar.”

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WBC interim champion Agit Kabayel has shared his thoughts on Oleksandr Usyk’s upcoming fight against Rico Verhoeven on May 23.

It was announced on Friday that Usyk will face the kickboxing star at Egypt’s Pyramids of Giza. Initially, it was believed that his WBC belt would be on the line; however, the WBC has since cast doubt on whether that will be the case.

Despite boasting a decorated combat sports background, Verhoeven has had just one outing in a professional boxing ring, scoring a second-round stoppage victory over Janos Finfera in 2014.

His opponent, at the time, had a record of 0-5, and yet the 36-year-old is now gearing up to collide with the greatest heavyweight of this era.

Having twice beaten Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois, Usyk is widely regarded as the leading pound-for-pound operator in this sport.

His last outing, which saw the Ukrainian engineer a fifth-round finish over Dubois in July, cemented his status as a three-time, two-division undisputed champion.

At the same time, though, many feel that unbeaten contender Kabayel has more than earned his shot at the 39-year-old, especially after claiming stoppages over Zhilei Zhang and Frank Sanchez.

But while he was likely eager to face Usyk sooner, the 33-year-old must now wait a little while longer before landing his world title opportunity.

Posting on his Instagram story, Kabayel reacted to the fight news and said his shot at the full WBC title will likely arrive after his next outing.

“It’s official. Just one fight to go. Then we’re next. Blow up the comments!”

An opponent for his next assignment is yet to be confirmed, but the German is likely full of confidence following his third-round finish over Damian Knyba last month.

After Team USA’s thrilling win over Canada in the Olympic gold medal game Sunday, all Brady Tkachuk wanted to do was celebrate. 

However, he had to take a drug test first.

Tkachuk, 26, wrapped up his media obligations and was on his way to the locker room when he got a tap on the shoulder.

“I get a tap on the shoulder, ‘Hello Brady, you’ve been selected for a drug test,’” Tkachuk said on a recent episode of his podcast, “Wingmen with Matthew and Brady Tkachuk.”

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Brady Tkachuk of the United States celebrates winning the gold medal during after the men’s gold medal game against Canada at the Milan Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena during the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games  in Milan, Italy, Feb. 22, 2026. (Vitalii Kliuiev/Getty Images)

Matthew Tkachuk said players are not required to take the drug test upon being notified, but you are under supervision until you do so. Brady said two other players opted to do their tests right away but missed a couple of the songs. He did not want to miss any of the celebrations, so he opted to wait until the bus left to take his test, which wasn’t for another hour and a half to two hours.

Matthew said the man administering the test, a man he named “little Johnny,” had a front-row seat to the locker room celebrations.

Brady said that, in about a 40-minute span, he drank about five beers, three Powerades and two waters but didn’t have the urge to use the restroom. He explained that the drug tests require 90 milliliters of urine, and if you don’t fill up the cup to the requisite amount, you have to wait until you fill it up.

Brady Tkachuk of the United States celebrates after winning the gold medal game against Canada at the Milan Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena during the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 22, 2026. (Catherine Steenkeste/Getty Images)

Brady said, normally after a game, he has no issue going to the restroom, but with the pressure of having to take a test to continue celebrating, he wasn’t sure if he could produce enough urine to complete the test. The Ottawa Senators captain said he was being patient and finally decided to take the test 10 minutes before the bus departed.

“Finally, 10 minutes before the bus (left), I’m like, ‘Eff it, I got to gamble, I got to gamble with this one.’ And did it, and (it was) 100 milliliters. I was like, ‘Thank God,’ because if I had to stay there and all the boys left, and I had to meet them, I would have been sour.”

The locker room celebrations kicked off a wild few days of partying for Team USA.

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Brady Tkachuk, Jack Hughes, Matthew Tkachuk and Quinn Hughes attend a celebration of the U.S. men’s hockey team’s Olympic gold at E11EVEN Miami in Miami, Fla., Feb. 23, 2026. (Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images for E11EVEN Miami)

After Team USA’s win in Milan, the team flew to Miami to celebrate its win at E11even, a famous nightclub. When their raucous celebration wrapped up, they flew up to Washington, D.C., to meet with President Donald Trump and attend the State of the Union address Tuesday.

The Senators returned to action Thursday and lost 2-1 to the Detroit Red Wings in overtime. Tkachuk scored the team’s lone goal but was left bloodied after a big hit.

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After last year’s 7-6 campaign, California football has played 131 seasons, dating back to 1886.

The Golden Bears did not play football from 1906 to 1914, choosing to play rugby instead.

Overall, Cal has compiled a 707–584–51 ^{(.546) record through the 2025 season.}

Since the program’s initial season, Cal has appeared in 27 bowl games, winning 12 and securing 16 conference championships.

The Bears have also claimed five National Championships, producing 27 consensus First Team All-America players.

California begins its 111th season with renewed optimism under new head coach Tosh Lupoi in the ACC, looking to resume its winning ways.

Italy’s Marco Bezzecchi won the opening race of the MotoGP season with a flawless performance in Thailand, as defending champion Marc Marquez retired late on.

Aprilia rider Bezzecchi started on pole and never looked back as he stormed into a massive lead before sealing victory by more than five seconds.

KTM’s Spanish rider Pedro Acosta followed up Saturday’s sprint race victory by coming second, while compatriot Raul Fernandez of Trackhouse finished third.

Bezzecchi’s victory came after he crashed out of the sprint race on the second lap.

“Yesterday was a small mistake with a big consequence, so it was important today to try to bounce back,” said Bezzecchi.

“My pace was good with the medium [rear tyre], we worked super well all weekend, so I knew that I could be fast if I was in front. So I tried my all to make a good start and the bike was perfect.”

Ducati’s Marquez exited the race with five laps to go after suffering a type puncture while in fourth position.

The Spaniard, who is chasing a record-equalling eighth title this season, was closing in on Acosta and Fernandez but damaged his tyre after running wide, ending hopes of a podium finish.

Earlier this week Marquez said he was still recovering from a shoulder injury that forced him to miss the final four races of last season.

Bezzecchi was fastest in all three practice sessions and set a new track record in qualifying, while this was his third-straight grand prix victory – having won the final two races in 2025.

Bezzecchi’s Aprilia team-mate and 2024 champion Jorge Martin came fourth, while Trackhouse’s Ai Ogura finished fifth.

Last year’s runner-up Alex Marquez did not finish the race after a late crash, while 2022 and 2023 world champion Francesco Bagnaia finished ninth.

The Turkish Super Lig returns with a fresh set of fixtures as Antalyaspor and Fenerbahce go head-to-head on Sunday. Domenico Tedesco’s men are unbeaten in each of their last eight visits to the New Antalya Stadium since November 2017 (5W 3D) and will head into the weekend looking to extend this dominant nine-year streak.

Antalyaspor failed to pull clear of the danger zone last Sunday when they fell to a 1-0 defeat against Kayserispor at the Kadir Has Stadium.

Sami Ugurlu’s men have managed just two wins from their last 12 matches since November 8, while losing six and claiming four draws in that time.

This poor run of results has seen Antalyaspor plunge into 14th place in the Super Lig standings with 23 points from 23 games, just three points above the relegation zone.

Meanwhile, Thursday’s 2-1 second-leg victory over Nottingham Forest was not enough to keep Fenerbahce in the Europa League, as their 3-0 defeat in the first leg of the playoffs saw them lose the tie 4-2 on aggregate and drop into the UEFA Conference League.

Tedesco’s men now turn their sights to the Super Lig, where they are the only unbeaten side this season, having picked up 15 wins and eight draws from their 23 games so far.

Fenerbahce have racked up 53 points from their 23 league matches to sit second in the standings, five points adrift of first-placed Galatasaray.

Antalyaspor vs Fenerbahce Head-To-Head and Key Numbers

• With 29 wins from the last 43 meetings between the sides, Fenerbahce boast a superior record in the history of this fixture.
• Antalyaspor have picked up seven wins in that time, while the spoils have been shared on seven occasions.
• Ugurlu’s men are on a seven-game losing streak against Fenerbahce and are without a win in their last 13 encounters, losing 10 and claiming three draws since a 1-0 victory in October 2019.
• Fenerbahce are unbeaten in their last 15 away games across all competitions, picking up 11 wins and four draws since September’s 3-1 defeat against Dinamo Zagreb in the Europa League.

Antalyaspor vs Fenerbahce Prediction

Still licking their wounds from their Europa League exit, Fenerbahce will return to league action looking to bounce back and move within two points of first-placed Galatasaray.

Tedesco’s men have won their last seven games against the hosts, and given the gulf in quality and experience between the two teams, we are backing them to come away with another comfortable victory.

Prediction: Antalyaspor 0-3 Fenerbahce

Antalyaspor vs Fenerbahce Betting Tips

Tip 1: Result – Fenerbahce to win

Tip 2: Over 2.5 goals – Yes (There have been three or more goals scored in five of Fenerbahce’s last six games)

Tip 3: Over 10.5 corners – Yes (There have also been at least 11 corner kicks in six of the visitors’ last eight matches)