Oleksandr Usyk’s next fight has been confirmed.
The unified world heavyweight boxing champion, arguably the No.1 pound-for-pound fighter on the planet, will return to the ring for a crossover bout against the kickboxing champion Rico Verhoeven on May 23.
Usyk has risen to the highest echelon of elite boxing after clearing out the cruiserweight division as the World Boxing Super Series champion, before lapping the competition at heavyweight thanks to a brace of victories over Anthony Joshua, Daniel Dubois, and Tyson Fury.
Verhoeven, meanwhile, has achieved a similar level of greatness in kickboxing by winning Glory tournaments and clattering the likes of Badr Hari in spectacular fashion.
Rumors of Verhoeven’s transition to boxing have spread in recent months as the Dutch striker was linked with a February fight against Anthony Joshua, but the British fighter’s involvement in a tragic car accident late, last year, compromised his involvement, and boxing financier Turki Alalshikh seemingly turned to Usyk as the next best option for Verhoeven by commenting his approval of the match-up on X.
What is perhaps the headline-stealer here, though, is not necessarily the fight but the venue — it will take place in Egypt, at the Pyramids of Giza.
“I truly respect people who reach the very top in their sport,” said Usyk, to Ring Magazine. “Rico is one of them – a powerful athlete and a great champion. Being a champion isn’t just about belts.”
Verhoeven said: “I spent twelve years as the undisputed heavyweight kickboxing champion and accomplished everything I set out to accomplish. But staying at the top for that long didn’t take away from the hunger, it strengthened it.
“Usyk is the undisputed in boxing. That’s the kind of challenge that motivated me. Undisputed versus undisputed.”
The event will stream live on DAZN.
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