Oleksandr Usyk vs. Rico Verhoeven | DAZN - 23 May 2026

[gilgamesh]

Lots of Heavyweight Champions have an oddball match or 2 on their record. If Boxing is a circus then the Heavyweight Title is its main attraction and the thing that the most bizarre circumstances in the sport revolve around. It's been that way for over 100 years.

Many guys have fought challengers that weren't exactly worthy of a title shot. Even the great ones would do that sometimes.

Coming off the heels of Frazier vs Ali 1. Frazier's next opponent was Terry Daniels.

That would be about the equivalent of Usyk defending against Johnny Fisher.

A circus bout where you're not sure what might happen is more interesting than a surefire slaughter.

This is all true, however, taking Ali's farce with Inoki as an example, he also defended the title 4 times in the same year, 2 of those defences were against solid World class fighters. What happens after this clown show with Usyk, another year off?

He has the back half of the year, and almost all of his potential opponents are fighting either in April or May or in the case of Kabayel fought in January. So all of them should be available for a Fall bout.

[gilgamesh]

Perhaps Usyk is aware that he is slipping and doesn't fancy it?

He seems the type that would know if he had lost a step or two.

No version of Usyk should lose to those two. Kabayel was horrendous last time out.

Well, maybe he intends to fight on. I think the Wardley fight (if he wins) would be a good retirement fight.

I really cannot see the point in fighting Wilder, who seems to not only be shot to shite, but a complete car crash waiting to happen, he is like Oliver McCall 2.0.

If Wilder knocks out Chisora that fight is sure to happen I'd think.

[joshj909]

That is my problem too. He is now holding the belts up.

Time to retire methinks.

I suspect he may well announce his retirement shortly after this fight. He is going to be 40 soon

It would've been a lot easier for him to beat Kabayel and Wardley before 40 than after if that's his intention. He could've beaten them both then had as many novelty fights as he liked without the belts and he wouldn't have been under much threat.

Perhaps Usyk is aware that he is slipping and doesn't fancy it?

He seems the type that would know if he had lost a step or two.

That's my point. If he took the fights sooner it wouldn't be as much of a problem. He could've easily beat Verhoeven or Jake Paul or whoever else after Kabayel and Wardley no problem at all while preserving his youth as much as possible in the more threatening fights. By doing it this way round and keeping hold of the belts he is either playing a slightly riskier game as his chin could go at any minute should he face the legitimate pros after this or he's wasted everyone's time by holding the belts hostage should he retire.

[gilgamesh]

It would've been a lot easier for him to beat Kabayel and Wardley before 40 than after if that's his intention. He could've beaten them both then had as many novelty fights as he liked without the belts and he wouldn't have been under much threat.

Perhaps Usyk is aware that he is slipping and doesn't fancy it?

He seems the type that would know if he had lost a step or two.

That's my point. If he took the fights sooner it wouldn't be as much of a problem. He could've easily beat Verhoeven or Jake Paul or whoever else after Kabayel and Wardley no problem at all while preserving his youth as much as possible in the more threatening fights. By doing it this way round and keeping hold of the belts he is either playing a slightly riskier game as his chin could go at any minute should he face the legitimate pros after this or he's wasted everyone's time by holding the belts hostage should he retire.

First off. Quit comparing Rico Verhoeven to Jake Paul. He'd murder that little Nancy Boy. He's not wasting anyone's time. This is a unique Event in the History of the Heavyweight Championship.

If he fought and beat Wardley or Kabayel. It'd be a great win yes, but it'd be just another Heavyweight Title fight at the end of the day. A good one sure, but nothing out of the ordinary or particularly unique. This is unique.

And again. Let me reiterate. Rico Verhoeven is a total badass. He deserves this opportunity. After the fight is over, the Heavyweight Championship isn't going to disappear into thin air. It still exists, and the winner of this fight is the Heavyweight Champion with another potential big fight awaiting him in the Fall.

You guys complain about f*cking everything.

[gilgamesh]

By the way. The one time we've had a Crossover bout for the Heavyweight Title. Tyson Fury vs Francis Ngannou. It was a Split Decision that Ngannou barely lost.

It was a harder fight for Fury than almost all of his title fights with "Real Boxers".

I just wonder how many times you guys need to see someone from another sport come over and do well before you recognize that maybe they're not out of their depth after all.

A Professional Fighter is a Professional Fighter. A Championship level Professional fighter has to work his ass off in any field be it MMA, Boxing or Kickboxing. Nobody that has achieved that kinda success in any of those 3 sports is a joke, and taking them lightly or dismissing them as one is a fools errand.

[Controversial]

[gilgamesh]

Rico won that fight

[Controversial]

Rico won that fight

I know nothing about him but this was the first video that came up lol.

[gilgamesh]

[Controversial]

Pretty easy to hit

[gilgamesh]

And impossible to discourage.

[Ruthless-RKO]

ESPN KnockOut journalist Salvador Rodriguez reported that Munguia is being considered for the event in Egypt.

According to sources, Jaime Munguia is one of the fighters being evaluated for the card.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Speaking on Froch on Fighting, ‘The Cobra’ outlined he has an issue with that due to Agit Kabayel missing out on his opportunity.

“It’s a voluntary defence against someone nobody has ever heard of and he’s a kickboxer and I’m not sure how these kickboxers go into the boxing ring but I don’t think there’s many that have gone into the boxing ring and done very well in the past. All I can say about this is Oleksandr Usyk is due an easy fight and he’s got one, so fair play to him.

“Agit Kabayel will be a bit annoyed cause he’s mandatory for this WBC belt and he’s a bona fide challenger of the belt who has been around for ages waiting his turn and he’s going to have to wait even longer, which is bad for the sport really, chucking Usyk in with a kickboxer nobody’s heard of.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

Egypt Travel Advisory Updated as Usyk vs Rico Event Planned at Giza

Oleksandr Usyk’s planned May 23 event against Rico Verhoeven in Egypt comes amid updated UK travel guidance covering parts of the country. However, Cairo and the Giza pyramids tourist zone are not among the restricted areas.

The crossover bout is expected to bring international media, broadcasters, and event personnel to Egypt. At the same time, the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office has warned of heightened regional tension and possible travel disruption in some areas.

UK Guidance Focuses on Specific Areas

The FCDO advises against all travel to within 20 kilometers of the Egypt-Libya border, except for El Salloum, where it advises against all but essential travel.

It also advises against all travel to the North Sinai Governorate.

Other areas are listed as essential travel only, including the northern part of South Sinai beyond the St Catherine-Nuweibaa road, parts of Ismailiyah Governorate east of the Suez Canal, and sections of the Western Desert.

The guidance also notes heightened regional tensions and warns that disruption is possible, including at border crossings.

However, the areas listed in the advisory do not include Cairo or the Giza pyramids tourist zone at this time.

[gilgamesh]

They really need to just change the location now, and not wait for it to have to be changed.

If they insist on doing it in front of some historic landmark. Do it in front of the Great Wall of China or something or The Collosus of Rhodes.

[JC]

If they insist on doing it in front of some historic landmark. Do it in front of the Great Wall of China or something or The Collosus of Rhodes.

The addition of time travel would make it worth PPV IMO.

[881073]

Levi Rigters would probably defeat pretty much any boxer out there to be fair, maybe a nice fight for Kabayel if Kabayel would dare that.

[joshj909]

If they insist on doing it in front of some historic landmark. Do it in front of the Great Wall of China or something or The Collosus of Rhodes.

The addition of time travel would make it worth PPV IMO.

they could do the press conference in the lighthouse or library of Alexandria

[joshj909]

Levi Rigters would probably defeat pretty much any boxer out there to be fair, maybe a nice fight for Kabayel if Kabayel would dare that.

Is this sarcasm?

[881073]

Levi Rigters would probably defeat pretty much any boxer out there to be fair, maybe a nice fight for Kabayel if Kabayel would dare that.

Is this sarcasm?

I'm willing to bet Kabayel would do anything to avoid a fight with Levi Rigters and if they would fight, Levi would win.
Trolling is part of boxing, as we have seen with Deontay Wilder, Mayweather, Jake Paul and such, not with kickboxers.
They fight each other at the top, sometimes several fights a night.
To be fair, Jake Paul actually did once have a sparrings match with Mohamed Mezouari, only to get his ass kicked all over the place against the welterweight.

[keithmoonhangover]

I'm willing to bet Kabayel would do anything to avoid a fight with Levi Rigters and if they would fight, Levi would win.

World class nonsense.

[unknownman79]

Bless these posters thinking these kickboxers stand any chance. Utter nonsense. I know you might like ya little kickboxing sport but to say these have a chance is laughable.

[jtourettes]

Rico may be a top dog in kickboxing but Usyk is going to light him up, he’s extremely hittable and boxing is a very different sport. Usyk within 7.

[Loynesy]

If they insist on doing it in front of some historic landmark. Do it in front of the Great Wall of China or something or The Collosus of Rhodes.

The addition of time travel would make it worth PPV IMO.

they could do the press conference in the lighthouse or library of Alexandria

Somewhat surrealy, I’ve just left Delphi a few minutes ago. We can get Apollo to be the ring announcer (think he’d outbuffer Michael) and all make a fortune by asking the Oracle for predictions

It’s a joke of a fight but if Usyk wants to make a few quid where he literally has no chance of losing, fair enough.

[joshj909]

Bless these posters thinking these kickboxers stand any chance. Utter nonsense. I know you might like ya little kickboxing sport but to say these have a chance is laughable.

7 people have voted him to win but I think only 2-3 have spoken up. Gilgamesh, 881073 and I think someone else.