Usyk vs Rico Verhoeven: Oleksandr Usyk to defend WBC title against kickboxer rico verhoeven in Egypt
Oleksandr Usyk will return to the ring to defend his WBC heavyweight title against kickboxer rico verhoeven on 23 May at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, a pairing that immediately raises questions about competitive balance and spectacle. The bout is being promoted with grand branding and promises a unique setting for a world heavyweight title fight.
Usyk's record, belts and recent layoff
Usyk is unbeaten in his professional career and is described in the coverage as both a two-time undisputed heavyweight champion who holds the WBA, WBC and IBF belts and, in another announcement, as a three-time undisputed champion. One report lists him at 24-0 with 15 KOs. He has not fought since stopping Daniel Dubois in a fifth-round knockout at Wembley Stadium in July and had teased an announcement on social media earlier in the week.
Rico Verhoeven's switch from kickboxing to boxing
Rico Verhoeven, a 36-year-old Dutch heavyweight, will be boxing for the first time since 2014 when he faces Usyk on 23 May. Verhoeven's kickboxing résumé includes 76 fights and 66 wins before he announced his departure from the sport in November, and another summary lists his record as 66-10. He spent 12 years as the undisputed heavyweight kickboxing champion and has said he sought a new challenge in boxing. Verhoeven also has one recorded boxing win by knockout over Janos Finfera in 2014 and a single MMA result, a TKO win over Viktor Bogutzki in 2015.
Pyramids of Giza setting, event names and broadcast plans
The fight will take place at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, framed as a world heavyweight title fight "under the shadow of ancient giants" and in the shadow of one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Details of the location beyond that description are light. Organisers have dubbed the bout 'Glory in Giza', while another announcement framed the card as "Glory of Giza: Undefeated Icons". The event is scheduled for 23 May and is said to stream live and exclusively.
How the heavyweight picture and potential opponents factor in
Usyk's opponent choices have been a talking point: he has beaten Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and Daniel Dubois twice each since 2021, and there was discussion of a possible fight with former WBC champion Deontay Wilder before he opted for a different direction. He vacated his WBO title rather than face Fabio Wardley, and Agit Kabayel's name has been repeatedly mentioned by fans seeking a live, unbeaten contender. Verhoeven had also been loosely linked with a bout against Joshua before the Briton's car crash in December.
Perceptions of mismatch, past upsets and the fighters' comments
Commentary in the coverage calls the pairing a mammoth mismatch and places it in a recent era of spectacle — an era that has included fights such as Anthony Joshua versus Jake Paul. The narrative notes that boxing has also seen near-upsets, pointing to Tyson Fury being dropped and pushed to the brink by boxing debutant Francis Ngannou in 2023. Usyk has praised Verhoeven's achievements, saying he respects people who reach the very top of their sport and calling Verhoeven a powerful athlete and great champion while stressing that boxing is a different game with its own rules and kings. Verhoeven has said he spent 12 years as the undisputed heavyweight kickboxing champion, that staying at the top strengthened his hunger, and that challenging an undisputed boxing champion like Usyk — "Undisputed versus undisputed. The best facing the best. " — is the kind of test that motivates him.
