The matchup between Oleksandr Usyk and Rico Verhoeven is officially set for May 23, 2026.
Billed as "Glory in Giza," the fight is scheduled to take place at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt. This is a massive crossover event pitting the unified heavyweight boxing champion against the long-reigning "King of Kickboxing."
Rico will enter the ring significantly larger than Usyk. He usually weighs in between 253 lbs and 270 lbs, giving him a roughly 30–40 lb weight advantage over the Ukrainian champion.
Rico has one professional boxing match under his belt from over a decade ago. He fought Janos Finfera in April 2014, winning by second-round knockout. Since then, he has focused exclusively on his record-breaking run in kickboxing, which makes this jump to a WBC Heavyweight Title fight against Oleksandr Usyk incredibly daring
Rico has enlisted Peter Fury to lead his training camp. This is a strategic move, as Peter was the architect behind Tyson Fury’s victory over Wladimir Klitschko. He is specifically working on Rico's jab and footwork to neutralize Usyk’s "Soviet School" movement.
Rico Verhoeven’s dedication to this bout is not just about a career shift; it is a calculated risk to cement his status as one of the greatest combat athletes in history. For a man who reigned as the "King of Kickboxing" for over 4,400 days, stepping into the ring against Oleksandr Usyk on May 23 represents a level of commitment that few at his level would ever dare.
Rico didn't just "take a fight"—he dismantled his entire professional life to make this happen:
In November 2025, Rico took the unprecedented step of vacating his GLORY Heavyweight Title while still at the top. He chose to walk away from a 12-year undefeated streak because he felt he had "conquered that world" and needed a challenge that actually made him feel like an underdog again.
Rico has essentially "started from zero" in terms of rhythm. Working under Peter Fury, he has spent months unlearning a lifetime of muscle memory. In kickboxing, the stance is often "stiff" and upright to check kicks; for Usyk, Rico has been obsessively drilling a more fluid, side-on boxing stance, focusing specifically on his jab—which Peter Fury noted was originally "too slow" for elite boxing.
Rico reportedly turned down a lucrative offer from the UFC for a potential MMA run (where his striking would be a massive advantage) specifically to pursue Usyk. He chose the "hardest out" in combat sports: trying to outbox the most technical heavyweight boxer of the era.
This fight, titled "Glory in Giza," carries historical weight beyond the physical matchup
It is the first heavyweight world title fight in history to be held in Egypt at the Pyramids. |
If Rico wins, he becomes the first person to reach the undisputed peak of kickboxing and then capture a major boxing world title.
The promotion is billing this as "Undisputed vs. Undisputed"—a rare collision of two men who effectively "cleared out" their respective sports simultaneously. |
Unlike many "influencer" or "celebrity" boxing matches, this is a sanctioned WBC World Title defense, elevating the crossover genre to a serious competitive level.
For Rico, the dedication is visible in his preparation. He isn't training for a "spectacle"; he is training to solve the puzzle of the "Soviet School" movement. By bringing in the architect of Wladimir Klitschko’s downfall (Peter Fury) and sparring with the likes of Tyson Fury, he is attempting to close a 20-year experience gap in a single camp.
%20Francis%20Ngannou%20vs%20Vadim%20Nemkov%20Fantasy%20Match%20up%20-%20YouTube.png)
%20UFC%20Maison%20Blanche%20Topuria%20VS%20Gaethje%20et%20Gane%20VS%20Pereira%20les%20annonces%20de%20Dana%20White%20%C3%A0%20l'UFC%20326%20!%20-%20YouTube.png)
%20KICKBOXING'S%20NEW%20KING%20%F0%9F%91%91%20Last%20Heavyweight%20Standing%20Finals%20Tournament%20Recap%20&%20Highlights%20-%20YouTube.png)
