The bout carried extra significance beyond the result. The younger brothers of ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion Jonathan Haggerty and former ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion Nabil Anane had been on a collision course for months. It was a family rivalry born from a fight between their older siblings that never came to fruition.

The 21-year-old Team Underground product came out in the first looking for punch-low kick combinations, but the 18-year-old Team Mehdi Zatout prodigy stayed on the outside and launched his own low kick attacks. Neither fighter racked up significant damage, earning a warning for passivity at one point, and the clinch exchanges looked dead even.

Both men took the fight upstairs in the second, trading high kicks and hard straight punches. One kick from the British youngster landed across Anane’s neck, but the Thai-French prodigy shrugged it off and kept firing his rangy punches.

The third was tightly contested from the opening seconds. Haggerty attacked with high left kicks while Anane retaliated with counter punches to the body before stepping in for elbows. The Brit kept the fight separated, however, and his relentless aggression proved the deciding factor on the scorecards.

The victory gives the Haggerty family early bragging rights in what could become one of Muay Thai’s next great feuds. Freddie improved to 24-5.

READ MORE: Sidekick Boxing Owner Believes Rico Verhoeven’s Mother’s Passing Could Fuel Victory Over Oleksandr Usyk

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The post Freddie Haggerty Outlasts Yonis Anane In Scrappy Strawweight Muay Thai Battle first appeared on Sidekick Boxing.

For Verhoeven, it’s an opportunity to use his years of experience in kickboxing and beat the current heavyweight boxing champion. On top of that, Verhoeven lost his mother earlier this year and has been using that grief as a motivation for the bout.

Sidekick Boxing’s owner, Daniel Knight, recently talked about this and mentioned how his mother’s passing can help Verhoeven beat Usyk. Knight shared his own experience and revealed he spoke with his mother days before her passing about elevating Sidekick Boxing into a globally recognised brand.

Knight admitted part of him emotionally died alongside his mother, yet another powerful side awakened. Before his mother’s passing, Sidekick Boxing remained respected mainly within combat sports circles, lacking mainstream popularity and widespread worldwide recognition.

Knight stayed determined, transforming Sidekick Boxing into a household name, pushing content aggressively across platforms while expanding audiences beyond martial arts. That vision eventually exploded successfully, with Sidekick Boxing now generating millions of monthly views and becoming recognised throughout mainstream sporting culture.

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Popular Boxing manager Eddie Hearn predicts Rico Verhoeven vs. Oleksandr Usyk

Oleksandr Usyk remains undefeated professionally, dominating the heavyweight boxing divisions. In his last fight, Usyk defeated Daniel Dubois brutally by knockout, further cementing his dominance within the heavyweight division.

Nearly one year since defeating Dubois, the Ukrainian superstar remains highly motivated, maintaining momentum while preparing himself mentally for another challenge. Eddie Hearn recently shared his prediction regarding the anticipated bout, confidently backing Usyk to secure victory once again.

“I think this is the biggest mountain to climb for Rico Verhoeven. I can’t disrespect him because he’s an unbelievable competitor. He’s a great athlete, he can punch but I have to say, I would be astonished if he wins,” said Eddie Hearn via DAZN.

Verhoeven feels extremely confident regarding his chances this Saturday, believing his experience and mindset will secure another massive victory. Fans worldwide eagerly anticipate the exciting showdown, making it incredibly interesting to discover who ultimately leaves victorious.

READ MORE: Rico Verhoeven Uses Personal Tragedy of Her Mother’s Passing as Fuel for Oleksandr Usyk Fight

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The fight will take place at the historic Giza Necropolis beside the legendary Pyramids of Giza near Cairo, Egypt. Organizers are promoting the event as “Glory in Giza,” making it one of boxing’s most unique venues ever.

Rico Verhoeven’s mother, Jacqueline, passed away in early 2026, but her exact cause of death was never publicly revealed. In a recent interview, the fighter talked about why this upcoming fight matters a lot to him.

“My mother passed away. How’s that a positive thing? It is not. But I have to do something with it to make it easier for me to cope with. So she passed away, and we had to clean out her house. And what happened is we came by pictures of her being in Egypt. Like, how crazy is that? I wanted to recreate that exact picture. I want it to be in that spot where she was 30 years prior,” Verhoeven via Matchroom Boxing.

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Heavyweight veteran backs Rico Verhoeven to beat Oleksandr Usyk

Oleksandr Usyk enters the bout as the reigning heavyweight boxing champion, while Verhoeven arrives after dominating kickboxing for over a decade. Many fans view the matchup as a rare crossover spectacle between two champions from completely different combat sports backgrounds.

For Verhoeven, this fight is an opportunity to prove himself against one of boxing’s greatest modern heavyweights today. Usyk has also praised Verhoeven’s athleticism and dedication, showing mutual respect before their highly anticipated showdown in Egypt this weekend.

Many experts have given their opinion on the upcoming fight, including Derek Chisora, who recently shared his prediction. “I think Usyk loses this fight in Egypt. I’m telling you, he might beat Usyk. The kickboxer is gonna win it,” said Derek Chisora via DAZN.

Both fighters have shown immense mutual respect and are eager to step inside the ring. It will be interesting to see who will take the lead this Saturday in Egypt.

READ MORE: Decho And Rustam Yunusov Sound Off Before ONE Friday Fights 155 Main Event: “Going To Be A Tough Night

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The post Rico Verhoeven Uses Personal Tragedy of Her Mother’s Passing as Fuel for Oleksandr Usyk Fight first appeared on Sidekick Boxing.

Decho Mavinn Muaythai meets Rustam “Tomahawk” Yunusov in flyweight Muay Thai on May 22, live in Asia primetime.

Decho arrives on the best form of his promotional career. Five decisions had defined his first five ONE appearances. They were all competitive, credible, but lacking the finish that separates a promising weekly series fighter from a contract candidate.

That changed at ONE Friday Fights 147 in March, when he closed an elbow in the clinch on Elvin Kazumovi to earn a first-round knockout and his first performance bonus. The strategy had been built specifically around Kazumovi’s defensive gaps, and the execution was exact.

“I was really happy with my performance in my last fight because everything went exactly to plan,” Decho said. “The strategy was to close the distance and damage him with my knees. That elbow to finish the fight was a weapon we specifically prepared for inside the clinch.”

Yunusov presents a different set of problems entirely. The Moscow-born southpaw has gone 16-0 with his last seven wins logged against the weekly series’ sharpest competition, combining an explosive left hand with footwork that pulls opponents into exchanges they did not ask for.

Decho has studied the tape, identified the threat, and built his answer around one tactical imperative, removing Yunusov’s ability to operate at range before the fight can settle into the Russian’s preferred rhythm.

“Rustam is a southpaw with incredible footwork. He’s quick in and out, and his left hand and left kick are very sharp and fast,” Decho said. “If I let him stay on the outside and fight at his own distance, it’s going to be a tough night for me. I must close the distance and get on the inside.”

Yunusov, for his part, does not believe his 16-fight winning streak arrived through natural ability. The teenage standout has a stark and self-aware take on what actually drives results at this level. He’s one that carries the ring IQ of a far older fighter.

“I can say I’m not such a talented person, especially in Muay Thai,” Yunusov said. “My only talent is my discipline. Discipline beats talent.”

That discipline has produced a fighter who dissects opponents rather than simply attacking them. Decho’s 5-1 promotional record and physical clinch-based style have been mapped and answered in Yunusov’s preparation, and the 19-year-old is not conceding ground on any front despite his opponent’s additional ONE experience.

“Decho is a pretty experienced one. He’s young, but he has a lot of professional fights and he has good fighting IQ,” Yunusov said. “He fights like a tank — just go straight and make a kill. He has good clinching skills. So it’s a real challenge for me. But I don’t think he can keep up with me. I have a better tactic and my fighting IQ is higher than his.”

READ MORE: George Jarvis And Rungrawee Sitsongpeenong Set For Lightweight Muay Thai Rematch At ONE Fight Night 44 On June 26

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The post Decho And Rustam Yunusov Sound Off Before ONE Friday Fights 155 Main Event: “Going To Be A Tough Night” first appeared on Sidekick Boxing.

Former ONE World Title challengers Rungrawee “Legatron” and George “G-Unit” Jarvis headline ONE Fight Night 44 on Prime Video on Friday, June 26, broadcasting live in U.S. primetime from Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

Their first meeting at ONE Friday Fights 85 in November 2024 was one of the standout performances of Jarvis’ career. The Lumpini Crawley product applied relentless forward pressure, cut through Rungrawee’s defence across three rounds, and closed the show with a devastating knockout that simultaneously earned him a permanent spot on ONE’s global roster.

It was as significant a single-night result as the lightweight Muay Thai division had produced in years. Rungrawee absorbed the defeat, refused to let it define him, and went to work.

The 30-year-old Sitsongpeenong veteran with a 158-49 career record and 50 finishes responded with a dominant unanimous decision over Youssef Assouik that earned him a shot at ONE Lightweight Kickboxing World Champion Regian “The Immortal” Eersel at The Inner Circle in April.

He went the full five championship rounds against one of the most durable and technically complete fighters in the world, came up short on the judges’ scorecards, but left with something the Jarvis loss had taken — confirmation that he belongs at the very top of the division.

The fighter Jarvis faces on June 26 is considerably more dangerous than the one he knocked out eighteen months ago.

Jarvis has not stood still either. His own world title challenge against Eersel in August 2025 ended in defeat, and he returned to action this past March with a statement win over Thai stalwart Sinsamut “Aquaman” Klinmee in a brutal, high-tempo firefight that reignited his title ambitions.

A second consecutive win over Rungrawee, who is now a proven five-round world title contender, would make the case for another crack at the lightweight Muay Thai crown all but impossible to dismiss.

Both men know exactly what the other brings. Both have been tested at the highest level since they last shared the ring. On June 26, the lightweight Muay Thai division’s most compelling rivalry produces its second chapter.

READ MORE: How The UFC Has Changed Completely Since Conor McGregor’s Last Fight

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The post George Jarvis And Rungrawee Sitsongpeenong Set For Lightweight Muay Thai Rematch At ONE Fight Night 44 On June 26 first appeared on Sidekick Boxing.

Now, nearly five years later, McGregor is expected to return in July against Max Holloway in one of the most anticipated comeback fights in UFC history. The question many fans continue asking, though, is simple will he actually show up?

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So Much Has Changed Since Conor McGregor Last Fought

The amount of change inside the UFC since McGregor’s last appearance is almost difficult to believe. Back in 2021, Alex Pereira had not even entered the UFC yet. Since then, Pereira has become one of the biggest stars in the company, winning titles across multiple divisions and headlining several major pay-per-view cards.

At the same time, Francis Ngannou was still the reigning UFC heavyweight champion. Since then, Ngannou has left the organisation entirely, crossed over into boxing, and completely changed the conversation around fighter pay and free agency in combat sports.

Another reminder of how much time has passed is the rise of Ilia Topuria. During McGregor’s last fight, Topuria was still competing on UFC prelim cards and was nowhere near mainstream stardom. Today, he is one of the faces of the promotion and currently holds the UFC lightweight championship.

The UFC itself has also evolved during McGregor’s absence. New champions have emerged, divisions have changed dramatically, and an entirely new generation of stars now carries the company forward.

Despite all of that, McGregor still remains one of the sport’s biggest attractions. Every update surrounding his comeback instantly dominates headlines, showing just how much attention he continues to command even after years away from competition.

His scheduled fight with Holloway in July is expected to answer several major questions. Fans want to know whether McGregor can still compete at the elite level, whether the hunger is still there, and whether his body can physically handle a full return after such a long layoff.

If he does make the walk against Holloway, it will not just feel like the return of a fighter. For many fans, it will feel like the return of an entirely different UFC era.

READ MORE: Freddie Haggerty Has Japan In His Sights After The Inner Circle On May 22

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The post How The UFC Has Changed Completely Since Conor McGregor’s Last Fight first appeared on Sidekick Boxing.

Garcia confirmed the matchup while making it clear there is genuine bad blood between the two fighters heading into the contest.

“He’s talking crazy. It’s personal,” Garcia said while discussing Benn. The American star also promised he was going to “put a whooping on this man.”

The announcement immediately generated huge attention online, especially because both fighters enter the matchup after major wins in their most recent appearances.

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Ryan Garcia And Benn Both Enter Fight After Big Wins

Garcia comes into the fight after defeating Mario Barrios to capture the WBC welterweight title earlier this year. The victory was seen as a huge moment in Garcia’s career, as he managed to bounce back strongly while proving he could compete successfully at welterweight against an established champion.

Throughout the fight, Garcia’s speed and timing caused major problems for Barrios, with the former interim lightweight champion controlling several of the key exchanges on his way to a statement victory.

Meanwhile, Benn most recently fought on the inaugural Zuffa Boxing event on April 11, 2026, where he defeated Regis Prograis in another important win for his career.

The fight came shortly after Benn’s victory over Chris Eubank Jr. and continued the momentum he has built over the last year. Against Prograis, Benn showed his usual aggression and pressure while proving he could handle experienced top-level opposition.

Stylistically, the Garcia vs Benn matchup promises action from the opening bell. Garcia’s hand speed and counter punching will likely clash directly with Benn’s aggressive forward pressure and willingness to exchange in close-range battles.

The growing tension between the two fighters only adds more intrigue to the contest. Garcia’s comments suggest emotions are already beginning to rise months before fight night, and with both men carrying strong momentum into September, the stakes feel even bigger.

With Las Vegas set to host the fight on September 12, many fans already expect the matchup to become one of the standout boxing events of 2026.

READ MORE: Freddie Haggerty Has Japan In His Sights After The Inner Circle On May 22

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The post Ryan Garcia Announces Conor Benn Fight For September 12 In Las Vegas first appeared on Sidekick Boxing.

The Ukrainian star made the comments during a recent interview with DAZN ahead of his highly anticipated crossover bout against Rico Verhoeven on May 23. The fight has already generated major attention across combat sports because of Verhoeven’s dominance in kickboxing and Usyk’s status as one of the greatest boxers of his generation.

Despite still competing at the highest level, Usyk made it clear that he does not intend to continue fighting for many more years.

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Usyk Says Retirement Will Be Final

Speaking about his future plans, Usyk explained that he only sees himself fighting three more times before officially walking away from the sport.

“3 fights and finished,” Usyk said during the interview.

The heavyweight champion also stressed that he has no interest in returning once he makes the decision to retire.

“It’s not 100 percent, but when I say I’m retired, I won’t be back.”

Usyk’s comments immediately sparked discussion among fans, especially considering how dominant he has remained throughout his career. The Ukrainian has already built one of the strongest resumes in modern boxing after becoming undisputed champion at cruiserweight before moving up and conquering the heavyweight division as well.

Over the years, he has secured major victories against some of the biggest names in boxing, including Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury. His technical ability, movement, ring IQ, and discipline have made him one of the most respected fighters of his era.

Now, attention turns towards his upcoming clash with Verhoeven. The Dutch kickboxing legend has dominated the heavyweight scene for years and is widely considered one of the best heavyweight kickboxers ever. Because of that, the matchup carries genuine intrigue despite the differences in their combat sports backgrounds.

Usyk’s revelation about retirement also adds extra importance to his remaining fights. With only three bouts potentially left before the end of his career, fans are beginning to realise that boxing may soon lose one of its most accomplished champions.

For now, though, the focus remains firmly on May 23, where Usyk will once again step into one of the biggest fights of his career while the countdown towards retirement officially begins.

READ MORE: Freddie Haggerty Has Japan In His Sights After The Inner Circle On May 22

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The post Oleksandr Usyk Reveals He Only Has Three Fights Left Before Retirement first appeared on Sidekick Boxing.

McGregor remains under contract with the UFC, but interest surrounding his future outside the promotion continues to grow because of the enormous commercial value attached to his name. The Irish superstar is currently scheduled to return to the octagon in July against Max Holloway in one of the biggest fights of the year, marking his long-awaited comeback after several years away from active competition.

Even before his UFC return, speculation has already started around what McGregor’s future could look like beyond the promotion.

Jake Paul, Nate Diaz And Self-Promoted Events Being Discussed

According to recent reports, MVP would be willing to build entire events around McGregor if he ever became available, potentially allowing him far more control over matchmaking, promotion, and revenue than most fighters usually receive.

One of the biggest possibilities reportedly being considered is a crossover fight against Jake Paul. The matchup has been discussed for years and could reportedly happen under either boxing or MMA rules. Given McGregor’s global popularity and Jake Paul’s pay-per-view success, the fight would likely become one of the biggest events in combat sports history.

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Another option that continues to attract attention is a trilogy bout with Nate Diaz. The rivalry between McGregor and Diaz remains one of the UFC’s most iconic feuds, and a third fight outside the UFC banner would almost certainly generate massive interest worldwide.

Reports also claim MVP would structure deals to ensure McGregor receives the vast majority of the revenue generated from events he headlines. That kind of financial setup would represent a major change compared to the traditional UFC model and could become extremely attractive if McGregor eventually explores free agency.

For now, McGregor’s immediate focus remains his July return against Holloway, but the growing interest from promoters outside the UFC shows just how valuable he still is despite his long absence from fighting.

Whether inside the UFC or beyond it, McGregor continues to remain one of the biggest draws combat sports has ever seen.

READ MORE: Freddie Haggerty Has Japan In His Sights After The Inner Circle On May 22

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The post MVP Ready To Go All-In On Conor McGregor If He Becomes A Free Agent first appeared on Sidekick Boxing.

Topuria recently gave his thoughts on a potential boxing match against Ryan Garcia and made it clear that he does not believe the fight would be competitive for very long.

The undefeated UFC star claimed he would be “very comfortable” in a matchup against Garcia and predicted he would “break him long before it gets to the judges decision.”

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Topuria Continues To Show Confidence Beyond MMA

Since becoming UFC lightweight champion, Topuria has continued to position himself as one of the biggest stars in combat sports. Known for his knockout power, pressure, and self-belief, the Spanish-Georgian fighter has repeatedly spoken about testing himself in different kinds of matchups outside traditional MMA.

His comments about Garcia are the latest example of that confidence.

While Garcia remains one of the fastest and most dangerous pure boxers in the sport, Topuria clearly believes his aggression, mentality, and striking ability would allow him to compete at a high level even under boxing rules.

The growing crossover discussions between boxing and MMA have become increasingly common in recent years following blockbuster events involving names like Conor McGregor, Francis Ngannou, and Floyd Mayweather Jr..

Although there is currently no indication that Topuria vs Garcia is being seriously discussed, the UFC champion’s comments have already sparked major debate among fans online. Many believe Garcia’s elite boxing background would be too much inside the ring, while others see Topuria’s pressure and power making the fight more competitive than expected.

For now, Topuria remains focused on his MMA career after capturing the UFC lightweight title, but his latest comments show he has no shortage of ambition when it comes to potential future superfights.

READ MORE: Freddie Haggerty Has Japan In His Sights After The Inner Circle On May 22

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The post Ilia Topuria Says He Would “Break” Ryan Garcia In A Boxing Match first appeared on Sidekick Boxing.