Oleksandr Usyk fights Rico Verhoeven at Giza

Oleksandr Usyk is fighting Rico Verhoeven on Saturday, May 23, at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, in a bout billed as “Glory in Giza.” The fight is being presented as a heavyweight title defense, with multiple event listings saying Usyk’s WBC belt is on the line. DAZN scheduled the card as a global pay-per-view, with the main card set to begin at 1 p.m. ET and ring walks projected for later in the evening in Egypt. ### Why is this fight getting so much attention? The Pyramids of Giza are the main reason the event broke out of normal boxing coverage. Event listings, previews and live updates all placed the bout at the Giza Necropolis, making the setting as central to the promotion as the fighters themselves. Yahoo Sports described the weekend as part of a “surrealist Egyptian” boxing showcase, while mainstream fight guides focused heavily on the location and broadcast logistics. (forbes.com) Saturday’s card also stands out because it pairs one of boxing’s most accomplished active champions with a crossover opponent from another combat sport. Usyk enters as the established boxing champion; Verhoeven is a decorated kickboxer making only his second professional boxing appearance, according to fight listings and previews. (forbes.com) ### Why are so many previews calling it a mismatch? Yahoo Sports set the tone most bluntly, calling the fight an “absurd mismatch of levels, experience and skill” and saying it would probably look as one-sided as expected. That assessment was tied directly to the gap in boxing experience: Yahoo noted that Verhoeven had only one professional boxing bout, while Usyk had spent most of his recent career in title fights. (msn.com) CBS Sports and other preview outlets still treated the contest as a title bout, but the competitive framing was similar. Their coverage emphasized Usyk’s championship status and Verhoeven’s background as a kickboxing star rather than as an established boxer. ### Who is Rico Verhoeven in boxing terms? (sports.yahoo.com) Rico Verhoeven is best known as a kickboxing champion, not as a conventional boxing contender. Fight databases and preview pages identified him as a former professional kickboxing world champion and listed this bout as only his second pro boxing match. That distinction explains the skepticism around the matchup. (cbssports.com) In kickboxing, Verhoeven arrives with name recognition and combat-sports credibility. In boxing, the available listings show a minimal professional record compared with Usyk’s championship résumé. ### What exactly is on the line? The WBC heavyweight championship is listed as at stake in several fight guides and previews. (msn.com) Some event pages also listed The Ring heavyweight championship among the belts attached to the contest. Oleksandr Usyk’s standing is part of the sales pitch. Yahoo Sports referred to him as boxing’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter, and other previews described him as the best heavyweight on the planet entering the event. (box.live) Those descriptions came from media outlets, not sanctioning bodies, but they help explain why the opponent choice has drawn scrutiny. (cbssports.com) ### How can viewers watch it? DAZN is carrying the event on pay-per-view worldwide, according to event listings and broadcast previews. Forbes and Yahoo’s viewing guides both said the stream runs Saturday, May 23, from Egypt, with the main card beginning at 1 p.m. ET in the United States. The live coverage was already underway in Yahoo Sports’ event page on Saturday, which offered round-by-round updates from Giza. (sports.yahoo.com) Mirror and other British outlets also published same-day guides focused on start times, ring walks and stream access. ### What happens next tonight? (forbes.com) Saturday’s next step is the main-event ring walk at the Pyramids of Giza, after the undercard concludes on DAZN’s pay-per-view feed. Yahoo Sports, DAZN-linked listings and Forbes all placed the fight on the live May 23 schedule from Egypt, with Usyk and Verhoeven closing the card. (sports.yahoo.com)