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

[jamesmcdonnell]

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.

I mean, any professional fighter has a chance, but it's an incredibly small chance.

Rico isn't going to generate anything like the kind of punchpower that Usyk does - he will revert to the square on stance favourted by kickboxers, and he won't be adept enough to avoid the punches, as kickboxers are not attuned to blocking and stuffing kicks.

[JamesPhilips]

The only guys that have a chance to do well swapping over from another combat sport is those that can hit hard and preferably have a good chin and fitness.

Rico’s power is poor (punching), his chin is suspect, although he is fit he hasn’t been fighting 12 rounders.

Ngannou is the only crossover fighter who’s inexperienced in boxing to be dangerous because of his punch. But Joshua decimated him.

Aspinall if he trained several years might be ok but…. This is genuinely the worst heavyweight championship fight I can remember. Butterbean or Peter McNeeley would’ve been better opponents. (In their prime lol)

[jamesmcdonnell]

The thing is, most kickboxers aren't looking to ko people with punches, they're looking to set up kicks, which are far more powerful, or they are shin and body kicking the crap out of their opponents until they're completely weakened or just collapse from the onslaught.

The only fighter that turned over that I remember, actually I think Sot Chitilada was a kickboxer first, and Khaiosi Galaxy - but I believe both of them switched to boxing pretty early on, in Galaxy's case, his team noticed he has huge punch power, and so advised him to switch to boxing,.

[Frostieballs]

Anyone remember Pele Reid?

[Ruthless-RKO]

Oleksandr Usyk outlines three-fight plan en route to retirement

Ring Magazine heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk has confirmed he will have just three more fights before he retires — and has even named the opponents he plans to face.

First up, the Ukrainian great is preparing to face Rico Verhoeven at Pyramids of Giza in Egypt on May 23 when his WBC heavyweight title will be on the line.

Usyk (24-0, 15 KOs) joined Monday’s Inside The Ring after a hard day’s training at camp and outlined his plans beyond the scheduled clash with Verhoeven, a Dutch kickboxing icon.

Devin Haney, a guest in the studio, asked Usyk how he is motivating himself for an unaccomplished boxing foe, but the two-time undisputed heavyweight champion said: “For me it’s a real fight.

 Yes, Rico is not a good boxer but, OK, a fun fight? No problem. But I want to fight the winner of the fight between Daniel Dubois and Fabio Wardley [afterwards].”




The 39-year-old southpaw indicated who he wants to face in his farewell fight, which would be the 27th outing of his incredible career.

He added: “I will have three more fights. Listen, Rico is first, second it’s who wins between Wardley or Dubois and then my third fight is my friend Greedy Belly, Tyson Fury.”

Usyk has already beaten Fury twice after his back-to-back victories at Riyadh’s Kingdom Arena in 2024, which sent the Brit into a short retirement.

Fury (34-2-1, 24 KOs), 37, will bring that hiatus to an end at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on April 11 when he faces Arslanbek Makhmudov, but he recently told The Ring that he expects Usyk to be "begging him" for a third fight before 2026 is over.

While Usyk does expect to face Fury, he does not think he will cross paths with Moses Itauma, the rising star of the heavyweight division.

“No, I’m not going to fight with Itauma because he’s a young guy," he said. "I don’t want to break this guy.”

[JC]

It will be disappointing if he concludes his career by facing Dubois and Fury again.

[Ruthless-RKO]

It will be disappointing if he concludes his career by facing Dubois and Fury again.

I really hope not..

[mickey1975]

As mad as it sounds, the only real question mark over his career in most people's eyes is the Chisora fight. Maybe he should finish with that one.

[Ruthless-RKO]

As mad as it sounds, the only real question mark over his career in most people's eyes is the Chisora fight. Maybe he should finish with that one.

Only according to you..

[joshj909]

So Usyk's three fight plan is very possibly a 1-0 kickboxer, Dubois for the third time and Fury for the third time. No Kabayel, Itauma, Torrez or Jalolov. Usyk should be asking Turki to create and eliminate contenders.

We have to pray that Wardley beats Dubois. Hopefully Fury faces Kabayel after Makhmudov but that doesn't seem likely.

"You either die (retire) a hero or you live (fight) long enough to become the villain"

[mickey1975]

So Usyk's three fight plan is very possibly a 1-0 kickboxer, Dubois for the third time and Fury for the third time. No Kabayel, Itauma, Torrez or Jalolov. Usyk should be asking Turki to create and eliminate contenders.

We have to pray that Wardley beats Dubois. Hopefully Fury faces Kabayel after Makhmudov but that doesn't seem likely.

"You either die (retire) a hero or you live (fight) long enough to become the villain"

Tyson said in his interview today that there's no point fighting him as as long a Usyk remains upright they will give him the decision.

[joshj909]

So Usyk's three fight plan is very possibly a 1-0 kickboxer, Dubois for the third time and Fury for the third time. No Kabayel, Itauma, Torrez or Jalolov. Usyk should be asking Turki to create and eliminate contenders.

We have to pray that Wardley beats Dubois. Hopefully Fury faces Kabayel after Makhmudov but that doesn't seem likely.

"You either die (retire) a hero or you live (fight) long enough to become the villain"

Tyson said in his interview today that there's no point fighting him as as long a Usyk remains upright they will give him the decision.

Sounds like an excuse not to lose again but that's good to hear from a fan perspective. It forces Usyk to fight someone new and there's still interesting fights for Fury in his twilight years, mostly against English opponents.

[mickey1975]

So Usyk's three fight plan is very possibly a 1-0 kickboxer, Dubois for the third time and Fury for the third time. No Kabayel, Itauma, Torrez or Jalolov. Usyk should be asking Turki to create and eliminate contenders.

We have to pray that Wardley beats Dubois. Hopefully Fury faces Kabayel after Makhmudov but that doesn't seem likely.

"You either die (retire) a hero or you live (fight) long enough to become the villain"

Tyson said in his interview today that there's no point fighting him as as long a Usyk remains upright they will give him the decision.

Sounds like an excuse not to lose again but that's good to hear from a fan perspective. It forces Usyk to fight someone new and there's still interesting fights for Fury in his twilight years, mostly against English opponents.

It's a good interview. He's entitled to his own opinion.

[jamesmcdonnell]

So Usyk's three fight plan is very possibly a 1-0 kickboxer, Dubois for the third time and Fury for the third time. No Kabayel, Itauma, Torrez or Jalolov. Usyk should be asking Turki to create and eliminate contenders.

We have to pray that Wardley beats Dubois. Hopefully Fury faces Kabayel after Makhmudov but that doesn't seem likely.

"You either die (retire) a hero or you live (fight) long enough to become the villain"

Tyson said in his interview today that there's no point fighting him as as long a Usyk remains upright they will give him the decision.

Sounds like an excuse not to lose again but that's good to hear from a fan perspective. It forces Usyk to fight someone new and there's still interesting fights for Fury in his twilight years, mostly against English opponents.

Pretty sour grapes, considering the fact he was saved from being pummeled into oblivion in fight one. I have no doubt in my mind the referee should not have intervened; the ropes had held Fury up already in the round, and he didn't step in.

[mickey1975]

Tyson said in his interview today that there's no point fighting him as as long a Usyk remains upright they will give him the decision.

Sounds like an excuse not to lose again but that's good to hear from a fan perspective. It forces Usyk to fight someone new and there's still interesting fights for Fury in his twilight years, mostly against English opponents.

Pretty sour grapes, considering the fact he was saved from being pummeled into oblivion in fight one. I have no doubt in my mind the referee should not have intervened; the ropes had held Fury up already in the round, and he didn't step in.

In that case Fury should have got the count earlier on in the round having taken less punches. He could have got his senses together much quicker, and arguably won the fight.

[jamesmcdonnell]

Sounds like an excuse not to lose again but that's good to hear from a fan perspective. It forces Usyk to fight someone new and there's still interesting fights for Fury in his twilight years, mostly against English opponents.

Pretty sour grapes, considering the fact he was saved from being pummeled into oblivion in fight one. I have no doubt in my mind the referee should not have intervened; the ropes had held Fury up already in the round, and he didn't step in.

In that case Fury should have got the count earlier on in the round having taken less punches. He could have got his senses together much quicker, and arguably won the fight.

Yes, perhaps, however, there would have been longer left in the round.

My contention however, is that as he didn't treat the ropes as having broken his fall in the first instance, (arguably there were two before the final one from memory - he should have allowed Usyk to continue working.

I take your point though.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Oleksandr Usyk outlines three-fight plan en route to retirement

Ring Magazine heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk has confirmed he will have just three more fights before he retires — and has even named the opponents he plans to face.

First up, the Ukrainian great is preparing to face Rico Verhoeven at Pyramids of Giza in Egypt on May 23 when his WBC heavyweight title will be on the line.

Usyk (24-0, 15 KOs) joined Monday’s Inside The Ring after a hard day’s training at camp and outlined his plans beyond the scheduled clash with Verhoeven, a Dutch kickboxing icon.

Devin Haney, a guest in the studio, asked Usyk how he is motivating himself for an unaccomplished boxing foe, but the two-time undisputed heavyweight champion said: “For me it’s a real fight.

 Yes, Rico is not a good boxer but, OK, a fun fight? No problem. But I want to fight the winner of the fight between Daniel Dubois and Fabio Wardley [afterwards].”




The 39-year-old southpaw indicated who he wants to face in his farewell fight, which would be the 27th outing of his incredible career.

He added: “I will have three more fights. Listen, Rico is first, second it’s who wins between Wardley or Dubois and then my third fight is my friend Greedy Belly, Tyson Fury.”

Usyk has already beaten Fury twice after his back-to-back victories at Riyadh’s Kingdom Arena in 2024, which sent the Brit into a short retirement.

Fury (34-2-1, 24 KOs), 37, will bring that hiatus to an end at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on April 11 when he faces Arslanbek Makhmudov, but he recently told The Ring that he expects Usyk to be "begging him" for a third fight before 2026 is over.

While Usyk does expect to face Fury, he does not think he will cross paths with Moses Itauma, the rising star of the heavyweight division.

“No, I’m not going to fight with Itauma because he’s a young guy," he said. "I don’t want to break this guy.”

[mickey1975]

So will that go down as a massive duck by Usyk? If, in two years time, Moses is still looking this good, big if for me, then it will have to be classed as so.

[jamesmcdonnell]

I'm in favour of Usyk calling it a day really.

To be fair though, if he is saying he will take on Wardley if he wins (which he is), I would say he's still fighting the best available.

If a champ gets to the point where he's cherry picking fights to avoid danger men, then time to let the belts go.

[Controversial]

So will that go down as a massive duck by Usyk? If, in two years time, Moses is still looking this good, big if for me, then it will have to be classed as so.

Trouble is there is always going to be the next big contender to fight, Usyk will be over 40 by the time he has these three fights. You can’t fight them all and have to draw the line somewhere.

[joshj909]

So will that go down as a massive duck by Usyk? If, in two years time, Moses is still looking this good, big if for me, then it will have to be classed as so.

Problem is, Itauma hasn't proved himself to be the most deserving of a shot and hasn't proven himself to definitively have the most potential. Wardley and Kabayel are most deserving while Jalolov, the multiple time Olympic gold medalist, probably has the most potential based on what we know so far. If Itauma wants to deserve a title shot or prove himself then he has to face someone worthwhile, which he hasn't so far. In my opinion he should face Wardley/Dubois winner.

[KiwiRider]

I'm in favour of Usyk calling it a day really.

Same. Go out on top. Undisputed, undefeated and unworldly rich.
Anything else doesn't further his legacy, especially fighting kickboxers and possibly losing to a raggedy bloke like Wardley just because he hung in there too long.

[golden_labrador]

So will that go down as a massive duck by Usyk? If, in two years time, Moses is still looking this good, big if for me, then it will have to be classed as so.

Problem is, Itauma hasn't proved himself to be the most deserving of a shot and hasn't proven himself to definitively have the most potential. Wardley and Kabayel are most deserving while Jalolov, the multiple time Olympic gold medalist, probably has the most potential based on what we know so far. If Itauma wants to deserve a title shot or prove himself then he has to face someone worthwhile, which he hasn't so far. In my opinion he should face Wardley/Dubois winner.

Jalo is going out with a damp squib. pro game not suiting him at all based on everything so far

[Grilling Machine]

Wardley and Kabayel are most deserving while Jalolov, the multiple time Olympic gold medalist, probably has the most potential based on what we know so far.

This is absolutely the right view for me. Jalolov can be fairly criticised for his lack of progress, but remains of prominent interest in a slow-moving division. I'd be very happy with that fight instead of this Rico lad.

I really hope Wardley beats Dubois now, because in the event Dub wins I thought Usyk would look to Kabayel.

[gregregegg]

Wardley and Kabayel are most deserving while Jalolov, the multiple time Olympic gold medalist, probably has the most potential based on what we know so far.

This is absolutely the right view for me. Jalolov can be fairly criticised for his lack of progress, but remains of prominent interest in a slow-moving division. I'd be very happy with that fight instead of this Rico lad.

I really hope Wardley beats Dubois now, because in the event Dub wins I thought Usyk would look to Kabayel.

Jalov is 31, has been pro for 7 or 8 years (admittedly while juggling ams), and his best result is stopping an old sokoloski in 5 rounds (good result no doubt)…

I feel he has regressed too. (Hrgovic regressed in my eyes too, not everyone converts to pros)…

While he is still absolutely one to watch but even as a 6”7 powerpunching southpaw I don’t know if you can still make the claim he has the most potential (I would say Moses has more and probably a few other young guys)… if he decides to start doing somthing I’d happily be wrong but he really deserves no mention around titles any time soon… would need to fight and win at c levle then b levle then A levle befor havi my a crack for a belt…