The upcoming showdown between Oleksandr Usyk and Rico Verhoeven has already sparked a huge debate across boxing, and now the World Boxing Association has made a major decision regarding the controversial fight.
When the matchup was first announced, several sanctioning bodies reportedly showed little interest in recognizing the contest as an official world title defence. Many boxing fans and pundits heavily criticised the bout, viewing it more as a crossover attraction than a legitimate championship fight.
Initially, only Usyk’s WBC heavyweight title was expected to be on the line. At the same time, the WBA and other governing bodies appeared reluctant to sanction the contest due to eligibility concerns and criticism from boxing purists.
However, the WBA has now changed its position.
WBA officially approves Usyk’s WBA title defence against Rico Verhoeven
In an official statement released on its website, the WBA confirmed that its Championship Committee approved a special request allowing Usyk to defend his WBA heavyweight title in the May 23 contest.
According to the organization, the decision came after reviewing the circumstances surrounding the bout and considering “the interests of competition.”
The WBA explained that Usyk has been granted permission to enter the fight while maintaining his championship status under specific conditions.
However, the approval comes with significant restrictions.
Verhoeven cannot win WBA title even if he defeats Usyk
One of the biggest conditions involves Verhoeven’s eligibility status.
The WBA confirmed that, because Verhoeven is not ranked in its heavyweight standings, he cannot officially challenge for the title despite facing the champion. The kickboxing great only has one boxing fight in his career, which came in 2014 against Janos Finfera.
That means if Usyk wins, the bout will count as a successful WBA title defence. However, if the reigning heavyweight champion loses, Verhoeven will not become the WBA heavyweight champion.
Instead, the WBA Championship Committee would review Usyk’s status and determine what happens next regarding the title situation.
The sanctioning body also stated that a Verhoeven victory would only make him eligible to enter future WBA heavyweight rankings.
WBA reverses previous position with unique ruling
The decision marks a noticeable shift from the WBA’s earlier stance surrounding the fight.
Previously, the organization and several others reportedly showed reluctance to sanction the bout due to strict eligibility regulations and criticism of the matchup itself.
Many critics labelled the fight a gimmick or exhibition rather than a legitimate championship contest.
Now, the WBA has officially approved the fight, although only under a highly unusual framework with multiple restrictions attached.
The ruling adds another unexpected layer to one of the most controversial heavyweight fights of the year as Usyk prepares to defend his titles on May 23 at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt.
Verrhoeven has shared that he will continue to fight in boxing after the Usyk showdown and plans not to retire. Meanwhile, the champion early shared his three-fight plan that starts with Verhoeven, he later planned to fight Agit Kabayel, and end his career with a Tyson Fury trilogy bout.
