It might not be the fight everyone envisioned for Oleksandr Usyk, but the heavyweight legend will return to the ring on Saturday after 10 months away from it. And he’ll do so at an incredible venue: The Great Pyramids of Giza in Egypt.
The venue is unconventional, and so is Usyk’s opponent. Rico Verhoeven, dubbed the King of Kickboxing, will take part in only his second-ever professional boxing bout. His last one came in 2014, when he knocked out a low-level opponent. Now Verhoeven will face one of the best heavyweight boxers in the sport’s history.
Rico Verhoeven sports 26-pound weight advantage over Oleksandr Usyk
Everything points to an easy victory for Usyk, but there’s one thing Verhoeven can say he has an advantage in. Verhoeven tipped the scales at nearly 259 pounds at the final weigh-in before the big fight. Usyk, meanwhile, came in at just over 233 pounds. That weight advantage is massive, although it hasn’t stopped Usyk in the past against similarly heavy opponents.
What’s surprising is that Usyk’s weight is actually the heaviest he’s ever fought at. During his last fight, in which he knocked out Daniel Dubois, Usyk was six pounds lighter. Dubois weighed in at almost 244 pounds for that fight, so Usyk is taking extra precaution for Verhoeven.
Given his 66-10 kickboxing record and the big weight discrepancy, Verhoeven is obviously a dangerous opponent. But Usyk has dispatched a much-heavier Tyson Fury on two separate occasions already. Verhoeven will have to put together a truly stunning performance to give Usyk a run for his money.
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