TLDR
- Oleksandr Usyk will defend his heavyweight titles against kickboxer Rico Verhoeven on May 23 at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt
- Verhoeven has a 66-10 kickboxing record but only one professional boxing match, winning by knockout in 2014
- Boxing experts and fighters widely view the matchup as one-sided in favor of the undefeated Usyk
- Usyk’s team insists they are taking Verhoeven seriously due to his size, strength and punching power
- Usyk plans two more fights after Verhoeven before retiring, including a potential third bout with Tyson Fury
Sources: Boxing247 | Boxing News 24 | Sky Sports
World heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk will face kickboxing star Rico Verhoeven on May 23 at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt. The fight will be broadcast on DAZN and sanctioned as a voluntary title defense by the WBC.
Usyk holds the Ring, IBF, WBA and WBC heavyweight titles with an undefeated record of 24-0 with 15 knockouts. The 39-year-old Ukrainian is ranked as The Ring’s number one pound-for-pound fighter after becoming undisputed champion at both cruiserweight and heavyweight.
Verhoeven brings a kickboxing record of 66-10 with 21 knockouts but has limited boxing experience. The 36-year-old Dutchman has only one professional boxing match, a second-round knockout victory over Janos Finfera in 2014.
Boxing Community Questions the Matchup
Fighters and trainers have expressed doubt about the competitive nature of the crossover bout. British kickboxing champion Jonathan Haggerty called Verhoeven “a beast of a guy” but added, “I don’t think he’s got a chance, really. Usyk’s the best in the world for a reason.”
Kickboxing legend Rico Verhoeven looking electric on the pads with Peter Fury ⚡
The former Glory heavyweight champion looks to shock the world against Oleksandr Usyk this spring ⚔️
Glory in Giza | May 23rd | Live on DAZN 🥊 pic.twitter.com/WVrpdvgVnP
— Ring Magazine (@ringmagazine) March 5, 2026
Former cruiserweight champion Chris Billam-Smith echoed that sentiment. “It’s two different sports, and I’d be surprised if Usyk doesn’t handily beat him,” Billam-Smith told reporters.
Many boxing fans view the fight as a waste of Usyk’s time. The champion has already cemented his legacy with victories over top heavyweights including two wins each over Tyson Fury, Daniel Dubois and Anthony Joshua.
Verhoeven’s Team Takes Fight Seriously
Despite the skepticism, Team Usyk is not taking Verhoeven lightly. Sergey Lapin, a member of Usyk’s team, emphasized the need for caution against any heavyweight opponent.
“The first rule of boxing, especially in the heavyweight division, is that you should never underestimate or overestimate your opponent,” Lapin said. “Rico is a very tough fighter. He’s a strong puncher who can hit with both hands and he has serious physical power.”
Lapin noted Verhoeven’s size advantage, with the kickboxer weighing around 120 kilograms. “He’s a big athlete, around 120 kilograms, tall and very strong physically,” Lapin told Casinostugan. “For us this is not some kind of freak show. This is a dangerous opponent and we take him seriously.”
Verhoeven previously sparred with Tyson Fury in the Netherlands when Fury was training with his uncle Peter Fury. The experience was brutal but educational for the kickboxer.
“He closed both my eyes, and I was like, ‘Wow, this was crazy. I love it. I can learn so much from this guy,” Verhoeven said on Inside The Ring. Peter Fury will serve as Verhoeven’s trainer for the Usyk fight.
Verhoeven reigned as Glory kickboxing heavyweight champion from 2013 to 2025 before vacating the title last November. He lost only once during that span, a unanimous decision to Andrey Gerasimchuk in 2015.
Usyk recently outlined his plans for retirement to The Ring magazine. After defeating Verhoeven, he intends to face the winner of Fabio Wardley versus Daniel Dubois, then conclude his career with a third fight against Tyson Fury.
The Ring has launched a poll asking fans who they want to see Usyk fight in his final bout. The options include Fury, undefeated German contender Agit Kabayel, and rising prospect Moses Itauma.
Kabayel currently holds the WBC interim heavyweight title with wins over Arslanbek Makhmudov, Frank Sanchez and Zhilei Zhang. Usyk’s last fight was a fifth-round knockout of Daniel Dubois on July 19 at Wembley Stadium.
