Oleksandr Usyk is scheduled to defend his WBC heavyweight title against former GLORY kickboxing champion Rico Verhoeven on May 23 in the Pyramids of Giza, Egypt. Their “Glory in Giza” boxing showdown will be streamed exclusively on DAZN pay-per-view (PPV).
“I spent 12 years as the undisputed heavyweight kickboxing champion and achieved everything I set out to achieve,” Verhoeven, 36, said in today’s announcement. "But being at the top for so long didn’t make me hungry. On the contrary, it made me stronger. Usyk is the undisputed fighter in boxing. That was the challenge that motivated me: the indisputable versus the indisputable.”
Fans criticized their matchmaking on social media.
“I have real respect for people who have reached the highest level of their sport,” Usyk, 39, added. “Rico is one of them. A strong athlete and a great champion. Being a champion is not just about the belt.”