Oleksandr Usyk to Defend WBC Title Against Rico Verhoeven at Pyramids of Giza
Oleksandr Usyk will defend his WBC heavyweight title against Dutch kickboxing star rico verhoeven on 23 May at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt. The matchup matters because it pairs an unbeaten, two-time undisputed boxing champion with a combat-sports newcomer in a sanctioned world-title fight staged beneath one of the ancient world's most visible landmarks.
Rico Verhoeven's switch from kickboxing to boxing
Rico Verhoeven, a 36-year-old Dutch heavyweight, will box for the first time since 2014 when he meets Usyk on 23 May. Verhoeven fought 76 kickboxing contests and recorded 66 wins before announcing his departure from kickboxing in November, saying he had spent 12 years as the undisputed heavyweight kickboxing champion and achieved everything he set out to do. He framed the move to boxing as a search for the "highest challenge, " and called a meeting with Usyk — himself undisputed in boxing — the kind of test that motivates him. The announcement follows prior speculation that Verhoeven had been loosely linked to a bout with Anthony Joshua before the Briton's car crash in December.
Oleksandr Usyk's title record and recent activity
Usyk arrives undefeated in his professional boxing career and is presented as a two-time undisputed heavyweight champion who currently holds the WBA, WBC and IBF belts. He has not fought since stopping Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium in July and is credited with remaining unbeaten across 24 professional bouts. Usyk has publicly acknowledged respect for rivals who reach the top of their sports, calling his opponent a powerful athlete and a great champion while emphasising that "this is boxing" with its own rules and standards.
Pyramids of Giza setting and 'Glory in Giza' billing
The bout has been billed by organisers as "Glory in Giza" and will be held at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt. Public details about the precise location remain light beyond references to an event staged "under the shadow of ancient giants, " a backdrop described as spectacular and as notable as the contest itself. Promoters have framed the match as a world heavyweight title fight set against a globally recognisable monument.
Match timing, career choices and the heavyweight landscape
The pairing has drawn scrutiny because it pits a boxing novice against a reigning world champion. Observers have noted that Usyk vacated his WBO title rather than face Fabio Wardley, while fans have repeatedly mentioned Agit Kabayel as a possible live, unbeaten contender. Those developments are presented as context for why a former kickboxing champion was chosen for a WBC world-title challenge. What makes this notable is that a sanctioned world-title bout has been arranged against a fighter with no recent professional boxing record.
Risk, precedent and the wider reaction
Commentary around the fight points to recent heavyweight anomalies as precedent: in 2023 Tyson Fury was dropped and pushed to the brink by boxing debutant Francis Ngannou, who nearly delivered one of the division's biggest upsets. That episode is used to underline that while upsets are possible, Usyk's methodical and disciplined approach makes a repeat of Fury's errors unlikely. Critics of the matchup have labelled it a mammoth mismatch and even called the contest bizarre, arguing there is a difference between crossover spectacle and a sanctioned world-title challenge between combatants with very different boxing résumés.
Organisers and the principals have framed the contest as a meeting of champions. Usyk has expressed respect for Verhoeven's achievements and discipline, while Verhoeven has insisted his long run at the top of kickboxing strengthened his hunger and that facing an undisputed champion in boxing represents the precise test he sought. The fight is set for 23 May, and its staging beneath the Pyramids of Giza has already shaped much of the public conversation around both sport and spectacle.
