Oleksandr Usyk is set to defend his WBC heavyweight title against kickboxing superstar Rico Verhoeven on May 23 at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, Ring Magazine confirmed. Usyk has not fought since July 2025, when he retained the WBA, WBC, WBO, IBO, IBF, and The Ring heavyweight belts with a fifth-round knockout over Daniel Dubois, improving his professional record to 24-0.
Over the past four years, Usyk has scored six wins, including two each over Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, and Dubois, cementing his place as one of boxing’s most dominant heavyweights.
Rico Verhoeven (UFC)Verhoeven, in contrast, has only one professional boxing fight on record, a second-round knockout in Germany in 2014. The kickboxing legend, who recently ended his tenure with GLORY after defending his title against Artem Vakhitov in June 2025, considered moving into MMA with talks for a potential bout against Derrick Lewis at UFC 324 but ultimately chose not to sign. He brings an 11-year undefeated streak in kickboxing, with 22 consecutive victories showcasing his elite striking ability.
Both athletes expressed mutual respect ahead of the clash. Usyk praised Verhoeven as “a powerful athlete and a great champion,” emphasizing that being a champion is about more than holding belts. Verhoeven noted that his long reign in kickboxing has not diminished his hunger and called the matchup a compelling challenge, describing it as “undisputed versus undisputed.” The bout promises to be a rare cross-discipline spectacle, pitting boxing’s reigning heavyweight king against one of the most accomplished kickboxers in history.
