Usyk to Defend WBC Title Against Rico Verhoeven at Pyramids of Giza in Egypt
Oleksandr Usyk will defend his WBC heavyweight title on 23 May against Dutch kickboxing star Rico Verhoeven at the Pyramids of Giza, a pairing promoted as "Glory in Giza" that will stage a world heavyweight title fight in egypt for the first time. The match represents an unusual, high-profile crossover that reconfigures the immediate heavyweight calendar and raises questions about competitive balance.
Pyramids of Giza, Egypt: spectacle and firsts
The fight is scheduled to take place under the Pyramids of Giza and is explicitly billed as happening "under the shadow of ancient giants, " a backdrop organizers say will underscore the spectacle. The event is identified by The Ring magazine as the first world-title fight held in Egypt and will be streamed live on DAZN. Details about the exact staging at the site are limited beyond promotional descriptions tied to the ancient landmark.
Rico Verhoeven's kickboxing credentials and boxing experience
Verhoeven, 36, arrives with an extensive kickboxing résumé: 76 fights, 66 wins and 10 losses with 21 knockouts, and he has described a 12-year run as the undisputed heavyweight kickboxing champion. He announced his departure from kickboxing in November and has one recorded professional boxing bout from 2014, which he won by knockout. Verhoeven has also sparred with Tyson Fury in the past and framed the Usyk challenge as a search for the highest available test after a long run at the top of his previous sport.
Usyk's titles, recent run and ring record
Usyk is a two-time undisputed heavyweight champion who holds the WBA, WBC and IBF belts and is unbeaten across 24 professional bouts. He has not fought since stopping Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium in July and has recorded six wins in four years, including two wins each over Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and Daniel Dubois. He vacated the WBO title in November rather than face Fabio Wardley.
Division reaction: Fabio Wardley, Agit Kabayel and the mismatch debate
The announcement prompted clear pushback inside the division. Fabio Wardley, the 31-year-old who retained the WBO belt, told Sky Sports he was disappointed, saying he did not view Verhoeven as "a real, genuine challenge" or someone who deserved the shot. Wardley added that he concedes Usyk is at a stage where he can choose opponents, saying the champion has "earned the position to... take an easy fight. " Fans have also raised other names — Agit Kabayel has been repeatedly mentioned as an unbeaten contender with momentum — highlighting a gulf between those looking for established boxing opposition and those accepting a more theatrical matchup.
Context in the heavyweight scene and broadcast framing
The pairing draws on recent crossover moments that blurred sport and spectacle: a heavyweight debutant nearly upset Tyson Fury in 2023 when Francis Ngannou dropped and pushed Fury toward defeat, and the promotional framing echoes the Anthony Joshua fight with Jake Paul in Miami, which was streamed globally to Netflix's roughly 300 million subscribers. Promoters have leaned into the unique setting and the novelty of an undisputed boxing champion facing an elite kickboxer, while critics call the matchup a mammoth mismatch for a WBC world title.
Usyk has publicly acknowledged Verhoeven's credentials, describing respect for athletes who reach the top and calling Verhoeven "a powerful athlete and a great champion, " while Verhoeven has said that facing an undisputed boxing champion is the kind of challenge that motivated his switch. The clash on 23 May will test how far spectacle can coexist with title legitimacy at one of the sport's highest levels.
