Usyk to Fight Kickboxing Champion
Undefeated WBC heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk will defend his belt in May against Rico Verhoeven, a former kickboxing world champion making his boxing debut. The bout will take place in Egypt, offering Usyk a high-profile international stage and Verhoeven a shot at crossover stardom. This matchup is generating intrigue due to Verhoeven's unorthodox transition and Usyk's dominance in the division.
Oleksandr Usyk enters this unique matchup with an unblemished professional record of 24 wins and no losses, with 15 of those victories coming by way of knockout. He is the reigning two-time undisputed heavyweight champion, a feat that puts him in the elite company of Muhammad Ali. His recent run of dominance includes two wins each against Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury, followed by a fifth-round knockout of Daniel Dubois in July 2025. His opponent, Rico Verhoeven, known as the "King of Kickboxing," boasts a formidable record of 66 wins and 10 losses in his own sport. The Dutch powerhouse held the Glory heavyweight title for over a decade, defending it a record 13 times during a reign that lasted 4,220 days. He has previously trained with top boxers like Tyson Fury to improve his jab. This "Glory in Giza" event, scheduled for May 23, 2026, will be the first-ever boxing title fight held at the historic Pyramids of Giza in Egypt. The fight was announced by Turki Alalshikh and will be broadcast live on DAZN, promising a global audience for this unusual clash of champions. While Verhoeven is one of the most decorated kickboxers in history, his professional boxing experience is exceptionally limited. His sole venture into the squared circle was a second-round knockout victory back in 2014, a fact that has drawn skepticism from some boxing purists. This dramatic difference in experience makes the bout a compelling and unpredictable spectacle.
