LONDON: Unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk will face former kickboxing world champion Rico Verhoeven for the WBC heavyweight title in a crossover showdown billed as “Glory in Giza” on May 23 in Egypt.
The bout was announced on Friday by Turki Alalshikh and The Ring, with the contest at the Pyramids of Giza set to be broadcast globally on DAZN.
The event will see Usyk put his WBC belt on the line against Verhoeven, who has been undefeated in kickboxing for more than a decade and returns to the boxing ring for the first time in 12 years.
Usyk (24-0, 15 KOs) last fought in June, stopping Daniel Dubois in the fifth round in front of more than 80,000 fans at Wembley Stadium to claim the IBF heavyweight title and secure his status as unified heavyweight champion.
The 39-year-old Ukrainian has previously fought in Ukraine, Germany, Poland, the US, Latvia, Russia and the UK, and will compete in North Africa for the first time in his professional career.
Verhoeven, 36, leaves kickboxing after a decorated run that saw him compile 66 wins from 76 fights and set multiple records in the GLORY promotion, including most wins in title bouts (14), most consecutive title defenses (13), most overall wins (28) and the longest winning streak (27). He also equaled the record for the most bouts in the organization’s history with 29.
He defended his heavyweight title in June last year with a unanimous decision victory over former two-time light heavyweight champion Artem Vakhitov before announcing his departure from the sport in November.
Verhoeven has previously competed in MMA and professional boxing, winning one bout in each discipline by knockout, and now returns to boxing for the first time since 2014 aiming to become the first man to defeat Usyk as a professional.
Usyk said: “I truly respect people who reach the very top in their sport. Rico is one of them — a powerful athlete and a great champion.”
He added: “Being a champion isn’t just about belts. It’s about years of hard work, discipline and belief. I respect his journey; he’s truly the King of Kickboxing. But this is boxing, a different game, with its own rules and its own kings.
“I’m ready and really looking forward to meeting him in the ring. It’s going to be a unique experience for both of us, and I know the fans are excited, too. A big night is coming.”
Verhoeven said he spent 12 years as the undisputed heavyweight kickboxing champion and that he had achieved everything he set out to accomplish.
However, staying at the top for that long did not take away the hunger, but strengthened it, he added.
“I wasn’t looking for comfort, so I started looking for the highest challenge available in another world. Usyk is undisputed in boxing. That’s the kind of challenge that motivates me. Undisputed vs. undisputed. The best facing the best,” he said.
Further details, including ticket information and the undercard, are expected to be announced in due course.
