Usyk to defend WBC title against Rico Verhoeven at the Pyramids of Giza
Oleksandr Usyk will return to the ring in May to defend his WBC heavyweight title against kickboxer rico verhoeven in a fight scheduled for May 23 at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt. The matchup brings a decorated boxing champion together with a long-reigning kickboxing star in a contest promoters have packaged as a spectacular, headline event.
Where and when: a May 23 title fight under ancient monuments
The bout is set for May 23 at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt and has been given event names that include "Glory in Giza" and "Glory of Giza: Undefeated Icons. " The announcement came on a Friday this week, and organisers say the event will stream live and exclusively on a global streaming service. Details of the precise ring location were described only as being "under the shadow of ancient giants, " and further logistical details are unclear in the provided context.
Usyk's status: unbeaten record, recent wins and championship holdings
Oleksandr Usyk enters the contest unbeaten in his professional career. Records in the provided context list him as 24-0 with 15 KOs and note he has not boxed since a fifth-round knockout of Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium in July. Usyk has beaten Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and Daniel Dubois two times each since 2021 and, after reunifying title belts, he vacated the WBO title. Different reports within the provided context described Usyk both as a two-time undisputed heavyweight champion and as a three-time undisputed champion; which description is correct is unclear in the provided context. The context also states that when he beat Tyson Fury in 2024 Usyk became the first undisputed heavyweight champion of boxing's four-belt era and the sport's first undisputed heavyweight king since Lennox Lewis.
Rico Verhoeven’s kickboxing résumé and combat experience
Rico Verhoeven, 36, is a Dutch heavyweight who dominated kickboxing for more than a decade. He fought 76 kickboxing bouts with 66 wins (also described as a 66-10 record in the provided context), held a long-running heavyweight title in the Glory promotion, and maintained that title for 4, 220 days with 13 successful defenses from 2013 to 2025. Verhoeven announced his departure from kickboxing in November. His combat résumé also includes one professional boxing bout: a 2014 knockout victory over Janos Finfera, who is described in the provided context as having had a 0-5 record, and one MMA fight, a 2015 TKO win over Viktor Bogutzki. The context adds that Verhoeven trained with coach Peter Fury and at times sparred with Tyson Fury.
What the fighters have said about the matchup
Usyk praised his opponent, saying he respects people who reach the top of their sport and calling Verhoeven "a powerful athlete and a great champion, " while stressing that boxing is "a different game, with its own rules and its own kings. " Usyk also said he is "ready and really looking forward to meeting him in the ring" and described the night as "a unique experience" that he thinks will excite fans. Verhoeven reflected on a 12-year reign as the undisputed heavyweight kickboxing champion, saying that staying at the top "strengthened" his hunger and that he sought the "highest challenge available in another world, " adding that he is motivated by facing an undisputed boxing champion — framing the pairing as "undisputed versus undisputed. "
Debate over matchup quality, previous speculation and comparisons
The contest has prompted debate in the context provided. Commentators called the matchup a mammoth mismatch and framed it as spectacle, drawing comparisons to an Anthony Joshua versus Jake Paul event. Verhoeven had been loosely linked with a bout against Anthony Joshua before the Briton's car crash in December. The context notes Usyk vacated his WBO title rather than face Fabio Wardley, and that fans have repeatedly mentioned Agit Kabayel as a desired live, unbeaten contender. The context also points to a recent heavyweight upset scare: Tyson Fury was dropped and pushed to the brink by boxing debutant Francis Ngannou in 2023, a near-upset used in the conversation to underline that unexpected outcomes can happen — though the context suggests a methodical fighter like Usyk is unlikely to repeat Fury's errors.
