{"id":132600,"date":"2026-02-27T15:37:36","date_gmt":"2026-02-27T21:37:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/?p=132600"},"modified":"2026-02-27T15:38:19","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T21:38:19","slug":"oleksandr-usyk-to-face-kick-boxing-champion-rico-verhoeven-for-the-wbc-world-heavyweight-title-in-glory-in-giza-boxing-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/?p=132600","title":{"rendered":"Oleksandr Usyk To Face Kick Boxing Champion Rico Verhoeven For The WBC World Heavyweight Title In \u2018GLORY IN GIZA\u2019 &#8211; Boxing News"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1545664804358300\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display: block; text-align: center;\" data-ad-layout=\"in-article\" data-ad-format=\"fluid\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1545664804358300\" data-ad-slot=\"8616314829\"><\/ins><br \/>\n<script>\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});<\/script><\/p>\n<p><a href=\" https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/?p=132600\" rel=\" https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/?p=132600\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-132601 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Usky-300x168.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Usky-300x168.png 300w, https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Usky-1024x573.png 1024w, https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Usky-768x429.png 768w, https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Usky.png 1166w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>His Excellency Turki Alalshikh and Ring Magazine today announced that unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk (24-0, 15 KOs) will take on former kickboxing heavyweight champion Rico Verhoeven on Saturday, May 23rd in Egypt for the WBC heavyweight title, globally exclusive on DAZN.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018Glory in Giza\u2019 will see Usyk take on Verhoeven, who steps back into the boxing ring following a twelve year absence.<\/p>\n<p>Usyk became the undisputed heavyweight champion with two victories over Tyson Fury in Riyadh in 2024. He then became the unified heavyweight champion with a comprehensive fifth-round KO of Daniel Dubois. <!--more--><\/p>\n<p>Having fought in Ukraine, Germany, Poland, the USA, Latvia, Russia and the UK, the 39-year-old will compete in North Africa for the first time in his career.<\/p>\n<p>Dutch former kickboxer Verhoeven, 36, holds Glory records in most wins in title bouts (14), the most consecutive title defenses (13), the most wins (28), and the longest winning streak (27),<\/p>\n<p>while also tying in the record of the promotion\u2019s most bouts (29). He has previously competed in MMA and professional boxing, winning his only fight in each sport by knockout.<\/p>\n<p>Verhoeven defended his heavyweight title in June last year, defeating former two-time light heavyweight champion Artem Vakhitov by unanimous decision before announcing his departure from the sport in November after 76 fights and 66 wins.<\/p>\n<p>He now returns to boxing for the first time since 2014 hoping to become the first man to defeat Usyk in his professional career.<\/p>\n<p>Usyk said: \u201cI truly respect people who reach the very top in their sport. Rico is one of them \u2014 a powerful athlete and a great champion.<\/p>\n<p>Being a champion isn\u2019t just about belts. It\u2019s about years of hard work, discipline, and belief. I respect his journey \u2014 he\u2019s truly the King of Kickboxing. But this is boxing \u2014 a different game, with its own rules and its own kings.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m ready and really looking forward to meeting him in the ring. It\u2019s going to be a unique experience for both of us, and I know the fans are excited too. A big night is coming!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Verhoeven said: \u201cI 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\u2019t take away the hunger, it strengthened it.<\/p>\n<p>I wasn\u2019t looking for comfort, so I started looking for the highest challenge available in another world. Usyk is undisputed in boxing. That\u2019s the kind of challenge that motivates me. Undisputed versus undisputed. The best facing the best.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Further details, including ticket information and undercard will be announced in due course.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Michael Cooper 360 Conversation: ConFunkShun, Solo Career, Humanity,  Silk Sonic, Trump &amp; More...\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/bMnVKMjNjZ8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em><strong><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; color: #808000;\"><a style=\"color: #808000;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.authorhouse.com\/en\/bookstore\/bookdetails\/232300-BOXING-INTERVIEWS-OF-A-LIFETIME\">Click Here to Order Boxing Interviews Of A Lifetime By &#8220;Bad&#8221; Brad Berkwitt<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"wpforms-container wpforms-container-full\" id=\"wpforms-126533\"><form id=\"wpforms-form-126533\" class=\"wpforms-validate wpforms-form wpforms-ajax-form\" data-formid=\"126533\" method=\"post\" enctype=\"multipart\/form-data\" action=\"\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F132600\" data-token=\"a05e9f7c82ac6455439a9d3a456605ed\" data-token-time=\"1777260056\"><noscript class=\"wpforms-error-noscript\">Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.<\/noscript><div class=\"wpforms-field-container\"><div id=\"wpforms-126533-field_1-container\" class=\"wpforms-field wpforms-field-name\" data-field-id=\"1\"><label class=\"wpforms-field-label\">Name <span class=\"wpforms-required-label\">*<\/span><\/label><div class=\"wpforms-field-row wpforms-field-medium\"><div class=\"wpforms-field-row-block wpforms-first wpforms-one-half\"><input type=\"text\" id=\"wpforms-126533-field_1\" class=\"wpforms-field-name-first wpforms-field-required\" name=\"wpforms[fields][1][first]\" required><label for=\"wpforms-126533-field_1\" class=\"wpforms-field-sublabel after\">First<\/label><\/div><div class=\"wpforms-field-row-block wpforms-one-half\"><input type=\"text\" id=\"wpforms-126533-field_1-last\" class=\"wpforms-field-name-last wpforms-field-required\" name=\"wpforms[fields][1][last]\" required><label for=\"wpforms-126533-field_1-last\" class=\"wpforms-field-sublabel after\">Last<\/label><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"wpforms-126533-field_2-container\" class=\"wpforms-field wpforms-field-email\" data-field-id=\"2\"><label class=\"wpforms-field-label\" for=\"wpforms-126533-field_2\">Email <span class=\"wpforms-required-label\">*<\/span><\/label><input type=\"email\" id=\"wpforms-126533-field_2\" class=\"wpforms-field-medium wpforms-field-required\" name=\"wpforms[fields][2]\" spellcheck=\"false\" required><\/div>\t\t<div id=\"wpforms-126533-field_4-container\"\n\t\t\tclass=\"wpforms-field wpforms-field-text\"\n\t\t\tdata-field-type=\"text\"\n\t\t\tdata-field-id=\"4\"\n\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<label class=\"wpforms-field-label\" for=\"wpforms-126533-field_4\" >Message Email Name<\/label>\n\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" id=\"wpforms-126533-field_4\" class=\"wpforms-field-medium\" name=\"wpforms[fields][4]\" >\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div id=\"wpforms-126533-field_3-container\" class=\"wpforms-field wpforms-field-textarea\" data-field-id=\"3\"><label class=\"wpforms-field-label\" for=\"wpforms-126533-field_3\">Comment or Message<\/label><textarea id=\"wpforms-126533-field_3\" class=\"wpforms-field-medium\" name=\"wpforms[fields][3]\" ><\/textarea><\/div><script>\n\t\t\t\t( function() {\n\t\t\t\t\tconst style = document.createElement( 'style' );\n\t\t\t\t\tstyle.appendChild( document.createTextNode( '#wpforms-126533-field_4-container { position: absolute !important; 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