Usyk's WBC Title Now on Line
A major U-turn from the WBC means Oleksandr Usyk's heavyweight world title will be at stake against Rico Verhoeven in May, with the high-profile bout staged in Egypt. This move adds extra significance to the already unique cross-sport clash between the unified heavyweight champion and the legendary kickboxer.
Oleksandr Usyk enters this unprecedented bout with an undefeated professional boxing record of 24 wins and no losses. His opponent, Rico Verhoeven, is a titan of the kickboxing world with a record of 60 wins and 10 losses, but has only a single professional boxing match on his record, a knockout victory in 2014. The World Boxing Council's decision to sanction this as a title defense marked a significant reversal. Initially, WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman indicated the organization would support the fight only as a "special event," without Usyk's championship on the line. The change came after the WBC Board of Governors approved a petition from Usyk, invoking a "voluntary defense" allowance granted to the champion at the WBC's 63rd Annual Convention. This ruling means the winner of the May 23rd clash at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt will be the recognized WBC Heavyweight Champion. However, the sanction comes with the condition that the victor must face the mandatory challenger, Agit Kabayel, in their next fight. While a champion of one combat sport challenging for a title in another is rare, it is not without precedent. Decorated Muay Thai fighter Samart Payakaroon successfully transitioned to boxing and won a WBC world title, as did fellow kickboxer Khaosai Galaxy who became a WBA champion. Verhoeven's challenge is a monumental step up in competition from his sole boxing bout over a decade ago. He faces a fighter in Usyk who is a two-time undisputed champion, having unified all major belts in both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions.
