Oleksandr Usyk defends his WBC heavyweight championship against Rico Verhoeven on Saturday at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt. The event will stream live on DAZN and features a crossover matchup between one of boxing’s top pound-for-pound champions and the longtime GLORY kickboxing heavyweight champion.

Usyk enters the fight undefeated and remains one of the most accomplished heavyweights in boxing following wins over Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, and Daniel Dubois. Verhoeven makes the jump from kickboxing into his highest-profile boxing match to date in a 12-round title fight against the current champion.

The undercard includes several other intriguing matchups, including Hamzah Sheeraz vs. Alem Begić, Jack Catterall vs. Shakhram Giyasov, and Mizuki Hiruta vs. Mai Soliman.

Check out everything you need to know for Saturday’s card, including betting odds and markets available at Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook.

Oleksandr Usyk vs. Rico Verhoeven Time, Date & Location

• Date: Saturday, May 23
• Main Card Start Time: 1:00 PM ET
• Main Event Ringwalks (Approx.): 5:45 PM ET
• Location: Pyramids of Giza – Giza, Egypt
• Streaming: DAZN Pay-Per-View

Oleksandr Usyk vs. Rico Verhoeven Card & Odds

Usyk enters the heavyweight title fight as a massive -2000 favorite against Verhoeven (+1000). The odds also heavily favor the fight ending inside the distance (-500).

Despite Usyk’s odds, Hamzah Sheeraz is actually the largest favorite on the featured portion of the card at -3000 against Alem Begić (+1300), while Jack Catterall sits at -225 against Shakhram Giyasov (+165).

Mizuki Hiruta is another heavy -2000 favorite against Mai Soliman (+1000).

Referenced odds subject to change.

Legendary boxing trainer Teddy Atlas exclusively spoke to Hard Rock Bet ahead of David Benavidez’s upcoming cruiserweight clash against Zurdo Ramirez.

The Hall of Famer, who has guided numerous fighters to world titles including heavyweight Michael Moorer, also analyzed Tyson Fury’s return, a possible clash against Anthony Joshua and revealed why Deontay Wilder should consider retirement.

Outside of the heavyweight division, Ryan Garcia is set to defend his WBC welterweight title against Conor Benn, and Atlas has questioned how good Garcia is despite beating Mario Barrios in his most recent fight to become world champion.

We opened the conversation on Tyson Fury’s return to the ring for the first time in 16 months, where he defeated Arslanbek Makmudov on points.

What did you make of Tyson Fury’s return and do you think he has enough in the tank for one last throw at the dice?

I mean, look, he had almost a year and a half of inactivity. I think it’s only fair to give him a minute to get the rust off, and it took a few rounds maybe to get rid of some of the rust of 16 months of inactivity. But at the end of the day, he got the job done.

Listen, I shoot it straight. You know, I’m not trying to be enemies or friends with anyone. I’ve been doing this stuff for 50 years. I’ve been in the business, and 30 years at ESPN. Some people get insulted if I say something straightforward, but to me, if you’re telling the truth, and the truth is your own truth, in other words, I’m not the only truth-sayer out there, but I am telling the truth to what I believe.

That’s why I didn’t have a job at the end with ESPN, because I said what I thought needed to be said in the position I was in, a responsible position, to tell the truth, not to say something just to keep a job.

And quite frankly, I see so many of these people on TV that you can tell they’re kind of walking a tightrope of what they believe and what they believe they need to say to be safe. So, at the end of the day, I’m looking at Tyson Fury, and he did what he had to do, but he was in there with a human heavy bag.

I mean, he was, again, and I don’t want people being insulted, I’d never knock a fighter, this is the only business I’ve ever been in, but the old-timers would say to me, “This guy, you could insult him if you miss him.” Mickey Duff had a great saying and we were pretty close. Mickey used to say to me, “Teddy, this guy is harder to miss than he is to hit.”

That was the case with the opponent for Fury. I mean, he did what he should do with a guy that was that predictable, that was slow-footed, that was slow-handed. Nothing was thrown really straight. Most of what Makmudov threw was round.

He’s a tough guy, he’s a fighter, he’s a game, game, game guy. But he’s a guy that just is made to order when you want to get a win, and when you want to get a win after being away, and that’s what they got. They did exactly what the doctor ordered.

They got rounds; they got the win. It was a one-sided win, and they were able to work out some kinks. If they’re looking to move forward, whether it’s a Joshua fight, whatever it is, but you always want to use that moment to hopefully get better, to say, okay, now we know what we’ve got to work on in the next camp.

At the end of the day, again, it was exactly what I expected, exactly what I predicted on my podcast that it would be. It wasn’t a matter of picking who was going to win, it was a matter of was it going to be an under or an over.

We picked the over for the people that like to wager a little bit out there, because I figured there’d be a lot of clinching, there’d be some sloppy moments—and there were plenty of sloppy moments, no doubt about it.

I even made a comment, and I love Tyson Fury. I love what he stands for. I love what he’s taught us. He’s taught us never to give up on life, no matter where you are, no matter how dark the place might be at that moment, don’t give up on life because the next moment, the light can be back on. As quick as the light can turn off, the light can come back.”

Benavidez is ‘old school’ but the Cinco de Mayo fight is hard to predict

Atlas previewed the upcoming showdown between David Benavidez and Zurdo Ramirez which will take place on May 2 for the WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles.

While Atlas believes Canelo Alvarez did the right thing by avoiding a fight against Benavidez, the 69-year-old believes it is a tough fight to predict with Ramirez being a ‘solid cruiserweight’ fighter.

Benavidez and Ramirez collide on Cinco de Mayo weekend. Who do you see winning that fight?

That’s so easy, no, not so easy. It’s a tough fight. I mean, we make him the favorite so automatically, he’s so fast because we love him and we’re impressed by his résumé, undefeated, and he’ll fight anybody. But he’s moving up now to fight at cruiserweight.

Now listen, it’s a cruiserweight who used to be a middleweight, or super middleweight, and he has moved up but he’s been moved up, and his body has stabilised and grown into being a solid cruiserweight. I’m talking about Ramirez.

His body has stabilised and grown into being a solid cruiserweight. And Benavidez is now moving up from light heavyweight to that weight class, so he won’t have the transitional time to really stabilise at the weight the way Ramirez has.

So, you’ve got to figure that in when you’re talking about handicapping a fight of this magnitude. You’ve got to weigh those things—and I do weigh those things. Also, I weigh the styles, I weigh the past performances, the experience levels that they both have. They’ve both fought top guys—both of them.

I give Benavidez so much credit. I really do, him and his father, because we use that saying “old school,” but a lot of times people say they’re old school, but they’re really not. They’re old school when it’s convenient.

They say, “Oh, I’m old school, I’m different, I fight anybody,” and then all of a sudden they’re still picking their spots, and they’re not as old school as they claim. But Benavidez is old school. Benavidez and his father, they fight, they’re not afraid to take the challenges, to fight anybody.

They showed that against Morrell. They’ve shown that. They wanted to fight Canelo. Obviously, Canelo didn’t want to do that, and he makes enough money and has enough power in the market where he chose not to do it and still get paid anyway.

From a business sense, it made sense for Canelo to avoid Benavidez and go that way, but you can’t say you’re old school when push comes to shove and you don’t behave old school. Benavidez and his father behave old school. So give them credit. They’re moving up again, they’re taking a chance again, putting that undefeated status on the line again.

I think it’s a tough fight. I think it’s a really, really tough fight. Ramirez is a solid guy. He throws a lot of punches. He’s a southpaw. He’s not an easy guy to outwork. You can hit him, but he’s technically still pretty solid—as Benavidez is.

Both of them—you can find them for simple reasons, not because of technical flaws as much as they both fight you. They both engage you. They’re both in front of you. Like the great, late, great trainers used to say “Let’s get it on.” That’s what they do and because of that, Benavidez, does he carry the power? There’s questions. Does he carry his power up to Ramirez?

Ramirez has a good chin. Benavidez has a good chin. Is Benavidez able to get the attention of Ramirez that he might have to get, moving up in weight, to slow Ramirez down? Because those punch numbers of Ramirez can be pretty impressive. Can Benavidez slow those punch numbers down? Benavidez has high punch numbers himself.

It really is one of those fights where, because of the styles and temperaments of both guys, it’s almost impossible for it not to be a good fight. It really does promise. The winners here are the fans and the sport.

It promises to be a really, really good fight, and it brings attention to the cruiserweight division, a division that really needs attention.

Because we forget about that division, it’s the stopover between light heavyweight and heavyweight. So sometimes we kind of look past it. This fight will bring eyeballs to that division. So, it’s a fight I look forward to seeing.

Garcia and Benn have made a lot of money

Following Conor Benn’s victory over Regis Prograis, the Brit called out Ryan Garcia and is set to face him next for the WBC welterweight title.

Atlas has claimed that both fighters have made a lot of money in recent fights and has questioned if either of them still have the same hunger for boxing.

Who will win between Ryan Garcia and Conor Benn?

With Conor Benn, people are going to knock his fight against Regis Prograis. I’m not knocking it. I thought there was a lot of good to take away from that. He was coming off two incredibly emotional fights. There had to be a little bit of a letdown. He was dropping back down in weight, which is a tricky thing, to lose that muscle that he had put on for Eubank and then drop down.

So, he was dealing with that. He was dealing with a guy that he was supposed to knock out, because Regis Prograis, beyond being a game, game guy, he’s never been stopped, a two-time world champion, but his legs were old.

I mean, he showed that in his fight before this against JoJo Diaz, right? He looked like a guy that had no legs anymore, that wasn’t able to handle taking a punch anymore, and he got hurt early with Benn, but then he survived.

He’s a two-time experienced world champion; former champion and he survived. With all the heart in the world, Prograis survived. So, people are going to knock Benn for not getting rid of him. There are question marks about both guys.

Where there’s no question mark is they’re both talented fighters. They both can fight at a high level. Will they fight at that high level? Will they perform at that high level? They’ve both made a lot of money and when you make a lot of money, you know what? That can affect the athletic side of it.

To use that old phrase, are they not hungry anymore? I mean, they’re fighters, they’ll go in there, they’ll do their best, but what will that best be?

It’s impacted by all of these elements that I just laid out. It’ll be an interesting fight at the end of the day. It’ll be a well-watched fight. It’ll be an interesting fight for the reasons I just laid out.

Tyson Fury returns to the boxing ring this Saturday for the first time since December 2024, stepping back between the ropes in a comeback fight as he looks to reboot his career following a brief retirement. Standing opposite him is Arslanbek Makhmudov, who enters with a chance to secure the biggest win of his career on boxing’s biggest stage.

This is a classic heavyweight matchup of experience versus power. Fury has faced the highest level of competition and remains one of the most technically skilled heavyweights in the world. Makhmudov, however, brings legitimate knockout ability and could make things uncomfortable early.

Hard Rock Bet has odds, and the key fight details below:

Tyson Fury vs. Arslanbek Makhmudov Info

• Date: Saturday, April 11
• Time: Card begins at 2 PM ET | Main event ~5 PM ET
• Location: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, England
• Broadcast: Netflix
• Fight Type: 12-round heavyweight bout

Fighter Records:

• Tyson Fury: 34-2-1 (24 KOs)
• Arslanbek Makhmudov: 21-2-0 (19 KOs)

Tyson Fury vs. Arslanbek Makhmudov Current Odds

Fury enters this matchup as a sizable favorite at Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook due to both his experience and overall résumé. After all, Fury is the former heavyweight champion and has never lost to someone NOT named Oleksandr Usyk.

Moneyline:

• Tyson Fury: -650
• Arslanbek Makhmudov: +450

Winning Method:

• Tyson Fury by KO/TKO/DQ: -220
• Tyson Fury by Decision: +350
• Tie: +1750
• Arslanbek Makhmudov by KO/TKO/DQ: +575
• Arslanbek Makhmudov by Decision: +1750

Fight To Go The Distance:

• No: -350
• Yes: +240

Tyson Fury vs. Arslanbek Makhmudov Fight Breakdown

Fury’s return comes with some pressure. The 37-year-old former champion is attempting to bounce back after losing twice to Usyk in 2024, including a title loss in May followed by a rematch defeat in December. While those setbacks came against one of the sport’s elite, they still raise questions about where Fury stands at this stage of his career.

At his best, Fury relies on size, movement, and ring IQ. He’s not always a one-punch finisher, but he can wear opponents down and control the pace over long stretches.

Makhmudov, meanwhile, brings a much more straightforward approach. The 36-year-old has 19 knockouts in 21 wins and tends to rely on power early. His path to victory is clear: apply pressure and look for a stoppage rather than letting Fury dictate the fight over 12 rounds.

Tyson Fury vs. Arslanbek Makhmudov Fight Markets

Beyond the main lines, additional markets for this fight at Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook include:

• Fight Winner (3-Way Moneyline)
• Total Knockdowns
• Total Rounds
• Tyson Fury To Win By Finish
• Arslanbek Makhmudov To Win By Finish
• … and more

Referenced odds are subject to change.

Boxing Hall of Famer Roy Jones Jr sat down with Hard Rock Bet News and reacted to Ryan Garcia’s stunning victory over Mario Barrios to become WBC world champion and revealed who ‘King Ry’ should fight next.

The American, who won world titles in four divisions including heavyweight, also previewed Tyson Fury’s upcoming showdown against Arslanbek Makhmudov as well as the chances of him becoming a three time world champion and why Anthony Joshua should be his next fight.

Jones Jr, who fought Mike Tyson in an exhibition in 2020, also analyzed the upcoming rematch between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.

Ryan Garcia won the WBC welterweight title, what did you make of his win over Mario Barrios and who should he fight next?

It was a great performance and a great win. Ryan Garcia should fight whoever he wants to fight next because you see what Ryan did, he is really smart. He took and incorporated the Jake Paul approach, and he executed the method and made his career better.

Ryan doesn’t need anybody right now, he can do his own thing because he has such a big social media following and presence and plus, he can actually box. He lost to Gervonta Davis, but people still want to see him, just like they want to see Gervonta Davis, because of social media.

So, he’s the one, I think, that took advantage of what Jake Paul has shown — showing what’s possible with social media and took advantage of it. He’s damn near as big as everybody out there right now. He said he wants Shakur Stevenson — everybody in boxing wants to see him so if he wants to fight Shakur then he gets that fight.

Ryan has already beaten Devin Haney so why would he fight him again? Go for the Shakur fight. People have got the game mixed up. You don’t fight a person you beat two years ago if you want to be the best or a person who may have struggled against you and is now on the way back up right now.

He’s not considered as one of the best right now. You look to fight the best right now. Shakur is considered the best right now. If you want to be the best, you go take on the guy who is the best. You take on the best, then if you want to go back and find the guy who also wants to prove he’s the best, then you fight him. Shakur is the best because he hasn’t lost yet, and it’d be a great fight.

Where does Ryan Garcia rank in the P4P rankings?

He’s in the top five right now because of all the things I have said. He took the method of Jake Paul and his social media presence and has a huge following. He is also the world champion and recently produced a great performance.

Will Tyson Fury win his comeback fight and can he become world champion again?

He can win that fight against Makhmudov and then after, if Oleksandr Usyk is the world champion then it will be very tough to become world champion again but if it is against another world champion then it can happen.

But if Tyson wins that fight, then I’ll be honest. Myself and the whole of the UK want to see Tyson Fury fight Anthony Joshua. How many years have we been waiting for this fight to happen? If we don’t get it at this point, we may never get it. It never happened but the whole public wants to see this fight between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.

What we don’t need is, Tyson winning on his comeback fight and then losing or Anthony Joshua coming back and choosing to fight somebody else and then losing because then the chances of the fight happening is low. Who would want to see it if either of them are defeated again? If we don’t get this fight next, then we may never get it.

I like both of them and it is hard to pick who wins the fight, but it will depend on who is in the better head space ahead of the fight and whoever trains and prepares the best will win but myself and the whole of the UK deserves to see a real fight.

What have you made of John Fury speaking about his relationship with Tyson Fury being non-existent due to boxing?

It was the same with my father; he didn’t want me to fight. Maybe he is right (about wanting Tyson to retire) or maybe he is wrong, but Tyson has to make his own decision as to whether he wants to fight. But my father was the same with me. He cares a lot about his son.

Floyd Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao 2, what do you make of the fight and who wins?

They’ll both make a lot of money from it so good luck to both of them. I don’t know how the fight goes but I don’t really care. The fight was five years too late the first time.

Was there ever a bit of friction between you two in the past?

Yes there was because if you say anything negative or derogatory towards me then I am going to speak my mind.

Would you fight Floyd or Mike Tyson in a rematch?

No. I don’t want to turn boxing into a joke, I would never want to do that. If Netflix reached out to me and said they wanted me to fight again and they offered me a lot of money and it made sense for me to come back then I would.

But I won’t come back and fight again in boxing. It would take a lot of money for me to get back into shape so I don’t see it happening.

British boxing legend Amir Khan sat down with Hard Rock Bet to discuss the current heavyweight landscape as Tyson Fury prepares to return to the ring against Arslanbek Makhmudov.

In addition to assessing Fury’s chances of becoming a three-time world champion in 2026, Khan also weighed in on Anthony Joshua’s future, his friendship with the 2012 Olympic champion, and the upcoming showdown between Deontay Wilder and Derek Chisora.

Outside of the heavyweight division, Khan shared his thoughts on Dana White, calling the UFC promoter “incredible,” predicting he will become just as successful within the boxing fraternity.

Tyson Fury’s comeback, Anthony Joshua’s future, Wilder vs. Chisora, and why Dana White is ‘incredible’

Amir Khan discussed Tyson Fury’s latest comeback twist and the uncertainty surrounding Anthony Joshua’s next move. He also weighed in on the upcoming Wilder vs. Chisora bout and praised Dana White’s impact on the fight community.

Can Tyson Fury win another world title ahead of yet another comeback?

It’s a tough one because it depends on who the world champions are. At the moment, you have Oleksandr Usyk, who has cleaned up the division, and nobody is ever going to give him any problems. But when it comes to the other fighters out there, if the titles become vacant, then yes, he definitely has a chance.

A massive fight would be Fury against Anthony Joshua after his comeback against Makhmudov. His opponent is obviously a strong, tall guy who comes forward, but he is very robotic and can be hit easily. So with Tyson’s style, it’s a tailor-made fight for him. When it comes to that next step up, if Usyk vacates his titles, then a massive fight would be Fury vs Joshua [for a world title].

I know Joshua has gone through a very tough time, losing his best friends, and it’s horrible to see. So we don’t know what is in his mind or if he is ever going to come back. Sometimes, in a position like that, the only thing that can help you is boxing. I think boxing is the only place that can make him feel better and content.

For Tyson, he has a massive opportunity because he is such a big name and has big options to fight whoever he wants. When he looks to land a world title fight, it will be very easy for him because, in the heavyweight division, he is one of the top names and has nothing to worry about.

Do you think Anthony Joshua will return, and have you spoken to him recently?

We’re close enough that we might send each other messages, but that’s about it really. He is doing his thing and I’m doing my thing. We have that mutual respect for each other. The last time we spoke was around three months ago in Dubai.

He spent some time in Dubai and we had a conversation about why I moved to Dubai and why I am here in Dubai. He was also talking about investing here as well. On the business side, we had a very good chat.

What made me laugh was that he was really impressed with what I have done and made in my career. He was really impressed and talking about some of the massive fights I have had. It was nice to acknowledge those massive fights we have had because of the massive names we have fought, and the career I have had. A lot of professional fighters would never have recognized that, but he did.

He has done a lot in the sport, becoming a two-time unified world champion. He was sitting next to me talking about my fight against Zab Judah, saying, “When you fought Zab, that was a great fight, and what you have done is incredible.” It was just nice. We were sharing memories of fights with each other, and you could see he knew a lot about my fights.

I wish him all the very best because what he has gone through over the last few months is very hard, especially being away from home and not having his loved ones around him. I can’t imagine what he has gone through. I do feel for him, but he is a strong character, and I have seen that he has tried to get back on with his life. He is very strong.

Who do you see winning between Deontay Wilder and Derek Chisora?

I like Derek Chisora in that fight. I like both fighters, but I think Chisora has that confidence and wants to win badly, whereas for Deontay Wilder, that hunger is not in his belly anymore.

Not because he is bad, but a guy like Deontay has made a lot of money in the sport and has been at the highest point in boxing. He has fought the biggest names in boxing, and Deontay Wilder will probably see this fight as going back one or two steps.

Sometimes that can be the biggest downfall because when you overlook an opponent, you can get hurt and beaten. I just feel as if Derek Chisora can beat anyone and wants to prove himself, and on the last few occasions, he has. It could be a massive shock.

Dana White has revealed a first world title under Zuffa Promotions, what do you make of it?

I think sometimes before it gets better, it is going to get worse. He is at that stage where things will eventually get better and better. He wants the best vs. the best, and Turki Al-Sheikh has shown that and made it happen. Money talks at the end of the day, and he has had the best fight the best.

With Dana, he has proven himself by taking the UFC to a different level. The UFC is a massive company that Dana started, and he wants to do the same with boxing, so definitely [he can do the same].

If he manages it the right way, like he did with the UFC, and doesn’t rush and takes baby steps, then he will get there. He is an incredible promoter. The UFC is huge because of what he has done and how he promoted it. You think of the UFC when you think of MMA. It is early at the moment and will take some time. They may need to be busier, though.

You only hear the name Zuffa now and again, but you want to hear it all of the time. It is a very big company and, if he wants it to get to the UFC level, then he can.

It is all in Dana’s hands, and he has done it before. It depends on how he does it, and he has to do it quickly because boxing fans might move on to something else quickly, so he has to push it.

Former WBC heavyweight world champion Bermane Stiverne spoke to Hard Rock Bet and assessed the current heavyweight landscape.

Stiverne, who fought Deontay Wilder twice, believes the American has little to no chance of causing a shock and defeating Oleksandr Usyk should they fight in 2026.

Alongside previewing the potential showdown between British rivals Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, Stiverne also analyzed Mike Tyson’s upcoming exhibition fight against Floyd Mayweather.

Usyk vs Wilder

The conversation began with discussion on the rumored heavyweight showdown.

Mauricio Sulaiman has reportedly approved the potential fight between Oleksandr Usyk and your former opponent, Deontay Wilder. What do you make of this fight?

Bermane Stiverne: No, I have to go with Usyk, of course. I think a lot of people believe that right now, Oleksandr Usyk is the number one Pound for Pound fighter right now. He’s proven himself. There’s nothing you can take away from him right now. He’s the man.

Just like once upon a time, Tyson Fury was the man but right now, Usyk is on top of his game and Usyk is definitely the man to beat right now.

I don’t think Deontay Wilder has the power or ability to defeat Oleksandr Usyk. First of all, he’s a southpaw. He can box, he can move, and the way he positions himself — his angles and everything like that is going to give Wilder a lot of problems. No, I don’t think Oleksandr Usyk should have any issues if they fight next.

What was it like to fight Deontay when he was in his prime?

Bermane Stiverne: Well, I think it was — from what I remember — he had a lot of power. The power was there. Right now, it’s not. I don’t think it’s about his skill or anything like that. I think it’s probably hunger.

Fighters are more hungry earlier in their careers than they are later on. From what I’ve seen in his past four or five fights, it’s not the same anymore.

That doesn’t mean he can’t win a fight, because you know boxing — all it takes is one shot, one good shot, and the fight can turn around. He’s still very dangerous. He’s still a dangerous fighter with power.

But I don’t think Oleksandr Usyk would make a mistake [with Wilder’s power]. From what I’ve seen in Usyk’s last few fights, and then comparing that to Wilder’s last few fights, Usyk has better tools, better awareness, and better control.

You can see he’s the type of fighter who’s not going to make a mistake where he puts himself in a position to get knocked out. He might get dropped — this is boxing — but as far as making the ultimate mistake and losing by knockout, I don’t see it happening.

On Tyson vs Mayweather

Next, the discussion turned to Tyson vs Mayweather and boxing exhibitions.

Mike Tyson is set to face Floyd Mayweather next year, what do you make of the exhibition fight?

Bermane Stiverne: It should be fun to watch. I don’t have anything against exhibitions as long as it’s two fighters — real fighters. I think when Tank Davis was supposed to fight Jake Paul, that was ridiculous. That wasn’t something I was interested in watching. It was just ridiculous with the weight difference.

But when you have good fighters — actual fighters or ex-fighters — it’s different. These are two legends, so that makes it more interesting.

Floyd Mayweather is the one who really opened the door to that type of exhibition and made it popular. Especially when he fought the guy from the UFC in Conor McGregor. After that, everybody decided to jump on it and mix it up.

It was done in the past with Muhammad Ali, but Floyd mimicked those kinds of fights and made them more popular than they used to be. Mike Tyson is a legend of the sport so I have nothing bad to say about this and think it will be a fun fight.

Tyson Fury’s Return

Finally, will Tyson Fury make a return to the ring in 2026?

Tyson Fury is reportedly coming back into boxing in 2026. What is next for him, should he fight Anthony Joshua or look to win a world title?

Bermane Stiverne: Both. For me, if that fight had happened earlier — Fury and Joshua — it would have been bigger than it is now. These are two guys from England, and that would have been magic. That would have been a great fight.

If it had happened a few years ago when they were both champions, it would have been unbelievable. I don’t even know the words to describe how big that would have been in England. It would have been something out of this world.

It didn’t happen, unfortunately. It would have been bigger back then than it is today, but it can still be a big fight — just like other fights that happened later than expected like Mayweather vs Pacquiao. They’re still big, just not as big as they could have been.

As far as Fury goes, why not? I think he should be able to get a fight with Anthony Joshua and then try to become a three-time world champion. We still have time. He’s still young. He still has the skills. So why not?

He has had a great career from the three fights with Deontay Wilder and returning like he did after time out from beating the man in Wladimir Klitschko.

He can still do more and with there being other titles available [Fabio Wardley’s WBO title], he should definitely look to become a three time heavyweight champion and even try to set up a trilogy fight against Oleksandr Usyk.

When Jake Paul vs. Gervonta Davis was called off earlier this month it left many in the boxing, and sports betting communities wondering: what’s next? Well, we have our answer. On December 19, Jake Paul will step into the ring to face the former Heavyweight Champion: Anthony Joshua — and Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook is ready to go with a full complement of ways to bet on the fight.

For observers wanting to see Paul challenged in the ring, Gervonta Davis was an intriguing matchup – an undefeated, title-holding boxer in the prime of his career, though undersized at 5 ft 5 in and 135 lbs in boxing terms when compared to Paul who stands 6 ft 1 in and typically fights around 200 lbs. Remember, boxing is a sport where size does matter. If Tank Davis was going to be a challenge, Anthony Joshua, who stands 6 ft 6 in tall and fights at over 250 lbs, is something completely different.

Tale of the Tape: Paul vs. Joshua

Rules indicate that Joshua will have to enter the fight at 245 lbs or less, but the former WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and IBO Heavyweight Champion will still have plenty of physical advantages. Here’s how they measure up:

Paul vs. Joshua betting odds

Jake Paul will enter this fight as a significant underdog for the first time in his career. However, if he is able to defy the odds it wouldn’t be the first time he topped a former Heavyweight Champ in the ring, having defeated Mike Tyson (albeit a 58-year-old Mike Tyson) via unanimous decision in November 2024. Current betting markets and odds for Paul – Joshua on Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook include:

Winner

• Jake Paul: +500 (moneyline odds)
• Anthony Joshua: -850

Winning Method

• Jake Paul by KO, TKO, or DQ: +1000
• Jake Paul by Decision: +1600
• Tie: +1750
• Anthony Joshua by KO, TKO or DQ: -500
• Anthony Joshua by Decision: +600

Fight To Go The Distance

• No: -650
• Yes: +400

Round Props

Round props are also available including:

• Total Rounds (over/under)
• Who will win and in what round?
• Winning round groups

All referenced odds are taken from Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook and are subject to change.

Paul vs. Joshua: When and Where

• When: Friday, December 19
• Where: Kaseya Center, Miami, Florida