Eyebrows were raised when news first broke that Oleksandr Usyk was set to fight kickboxing icon Rico Verhoeven at the Pyramids of Giza, however, according to a new report, the bout could be moved from Egypt.
A pound-for-pound staple for a decade because of his ruthless dominance of the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions, with statement wins over Mairis Briedis, Murat Gassiev, Anthony Joshua, Daniel Dubois, and Tyson Fury, on May 23, Usyk takes a step off the gauntlet when he welcomes one-fight boxing novice Verhoeven to the ring in one of the most unique settings of a prizefight.
But the ongoing war in the Middle East, which has, to date, embroiled Israel, the United States, and Iran, among other regions, raises safety concerns for nearby Egypt.
“The team is 100% looking at plan B,” Usyk is quoted by Suspline Sport to have said in Ukrainian.
The US Department of State currently advises Americans worldwide “and especially in the Middle East to exercise increased caution.” For Egypt, specifically, the US has a “Level 2” warning which means “exercise increased caution due to terrorism, crime, and health.” The UK government also warns of “heightened risk of regional tension” on its travel page for Egypt.
Usyk, at least, tries to not “think about” the location, even if the site for the world heavyweight title fight changes. “I know I have to train, and if anything happens, the team tells me, and I don’t get nervous. I just pray and that’s it.”
No other fights have been confirmed as placed on the May 23 card, which DAZN is set to broadcast as a pay-per-view. Jack Catterall and Shakhram Giyasov could box on the Usyk-Verhoeven card, Boxing Scene reported, whether it takes place in Giza, or not. An announcement is expected this week.
Dmitry Bivol and Michael Eifert were linked with the Usyk-Verhoeven card but instead fight at a separate May event in Russia.
MUST READ:
