Unified world heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk is preparing for the most unusual challenge of his career. On May 23, the undefeated Ukrainian will meet in the ring with one of the brightest figures in kickboxing — Dutchman Rico Verhoeven.
The fight will take place in Egypt, right at the foot of the famous Giza pyramids, and will be a defense of the WBC title. The event organizers emphasize its historical scale — the broadcast will be provided by the DAZN platform, and sponsorship has been undertaken by Sela.
The organizers emphasize the symbolism of the upcoming event. "Legends will meet where legends were born," says the official press release, hinting at the epic nature of the confrontation between two outstanding fighters from different disciplines against the backdrop of one of the seven wonders of the world.
For Usyk, this will be the first time he steps into the ring after a bright victory in a rematch over Daniel Dubois. That fight took place on July 20 last year at Wembley Stadium in London and ended with a knockout in the fifth round.
The 39-year-old Ukrainian's record remains perfect: 24 wins (15 by knockout), zero losses. He made his professional debut back in 2013, and since then, every step in his career has strengthened his reputation as a versatile and tactically brilliant boxer.
Rico Verhoeven is a true icon of kickboxing. He held the Glory heavyweight championship title for a record 4,220 days and achieved 26 consecutive victories as a champion. It is important to note that for the 36-year-old Dutchman, this will be only his second professional fight in classic boxing since his knockout victory in 2014.
