Until the fight took place, no one expected Oleksandr Usyk to fight Rico Verhoeven.
Now, on Saturday, boxing’s regal unified heavyweight champion Usyk will take on kickboxing superstar Verhoeven in Giza, Egypt.
It will be a boxing match, so Verhoeven will step into Usyk’s world. However, the Ukrainian team insists they are taking him seriously as a challenger.
Sergey Lapin, CEO of Usyk’s promotion company Ready to Fight, told Sky Sports: “Rico Verhoeven is a strong, physical and experienced fighter. He’s not an easy opponent by any means. He’s a strong puncher and has no problem coming forward and being aggressive.”
“But we clearly understand his style and strengths. It’s not just about power, it’s about level in the ring, timing and intelligence.
“We expect him to come aggressive and try to impose his physicality. But Oleksandr has faced more complex challenges in his career and we are fully prepared for what Rico will bring on May 23rd.”
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Watch as Rico Verhoeven and Oleksandr Usyk engage in their final showdown ahead of their blockbuster heavyweight showdown.
Usyk himself has dabbled in kickboxing before, and knows and respects the Dutch fighter well.
“Olexandr has seen Rico Verhoeven play before and knows him well,” Lapin said. “When it comes to kickboxing, Oleksandr had some experience in that field early in his career, so he understands the details.”
Usyk’s boxing history is unparalleled in this era. He won gold at the 2012 London Olympics and became the undisputed cruiserweight champion by defeating Murat Gassiev, becoming the first man to become the undisputed world heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis, who suffered his first loss to Tyson Fury. And last year, he unified the four major heavyweight titles again when he stopped Daniel Dubois for the second time.
He has never lost a professional boxing match.
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Rico Verhoeven is set to fight Oleksandr Usyk for the WBC heavyweight title, and relive the moment in 2015 when Verhoeven sparred with Tyson Fury in the run-up to his victory over Wladimir Klitschko.
Usyk now wants to test himself in a different way.
“At this stage of Oleksandr’s career, it’s not about adding something just for the sake of legacy. His legacy is already secured,” Lapin explained.
“What’s important now is taking on the unique challenge of pushing the boundaries of the sport and creating something special for our fans.
“Part of that is fighting top athletes from other fighting disciplines. It’s about proving adaptability and intelligence and showing that true elite fighters can operate at the highest level.
“At the same time, we remain focused on the core goals of boxing and the sport.”
