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

[CaptainSpacerod]

Wish they’d stop doing these shit belts. Nobody wants them

“a masterpiece” no less

[johnmanchester]

It's the belt equivalent of an Ed Hardy tshirt but I still kind of like it

Should have been Nile Crocodile skin really

[MightyWarrior]

[ScottDetonator]

Love watching Usyk fight but fights like this are just all hype and build up, then poor main events. Not a fan of it, especially with the WBC title on the line, that is madness.

Still expect Usyk to stop Rico when he decides to. In the sparring footage of Rico, he looks like he's throwing punches through treacle, you'd expect Johnny Fisher to iron him out, never mind Usyk. Another one to add to the pointless fights file.

[gilgamesh]

Great win for Zimmerman. I don't look for Usyk to be able to catch Rico like that early, but it's not out of the question. Rico beat Zimmerman twice in later rematches after this loss.

It's been 11 years since his last defeat. This loss to Zimmerman was from 2012.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Oleksandr Usyk: 'Three more fights... When I say I'm retired, I won't be back'

Oleksandr Usyk, ahead of his showpiece heavyweight title defense against kickboxer Rico Verhoeven, has suggested that the end of his glittering career is nigh – and once he’s gone, he won’t be coming back.

Saturday’s 12-round bout, in Egypt, is a curious affair due to the 1-0 (1 KO) Verhoeven’s lack of experience in boxing. He made his name in kickboxing, a discipline in which he’s regarded one of the best ever. But the last time he boxed without the option of using his legs was when he made his debut 12 years ago.

“It’s going to be different,” Usyk admitted about taking on Verhoeven during an interview with DAZN. “But it’s going to be a great show. Of course, it’s a tough fight. It’s not an easy walk. It doesn’t matter who I am fighting, I am prepared 100 per cent.

“He’s a good challenge.”

The proof will be in the puddling with Usyk, 24-0 (15 KOs), an overwhelming favorite to get the 25th victory of a career that has seen him dominate at both cruiserweight and heavyweight.

In his last six bouts he has beaten each of Tyson Fury, Daniel Dubois and Anthony Joshua twice. It is that formidable run which has seen him twice win undisputed recognition at heavyweight and, for many fans, makes this ‘gimme’ against Verhoeven forgivable.

However, with the likes of Agit Kabayel, Moses Itauma, Filip Hrgovic and the Ukrainian’s three most recent rivals all among his leading contenders, there is no shortage of challenges for the 39-year-old Usyk.

The veteran, however, has suggested that only two further fights will follow Verhoeven.

“Three fights [including Verhoeven] and finished,” he said. “It’s not 100 per cent, but when I say I’m retired, I won’t be back.”

[SeanBrennan]

Loma said this….

[Perkin Warbeck]

Three good fights on this card: Torrez-Sanchez, Hiruta-Soliman and Catteral-Giyasov.

There rest are either mismatches (Sheeraz vs age 39 Begic) or mediocre boxers (Yehra-Kalyalya, Almohammed-Imprax, Hikal-Sserunkuma, Mamdouh-Talley).

I would have liked to see another Ukrainian heavyweight like Hrytsiv, Vykhryst, or Novytskyi on the undercard matched up against a British or American heavyweight like Dacres, Hines, Juarez, or Moore.

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Ruthless-RKO]

[MightyWarrior]

Oh my God, the chain and pendant is on the line?! This is huge. Hopefully it’s not the interim chain and pendant

[gilgamesh]

Turki loves his flashy jewelry doesn't he?

[veriton]

Hilarious this is being touted as PPV for the Ultimate package and so is the Tommy Fury fight! Ultimate schmultimate.

They needed to put the Usyk one in a crazy location as it wouldn't have sold out Scunthorpe Baths.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Mizuki Hiruta ready for 'prom night' clash vs. Soliman, says Robles

After a superb 2025 that earned her The Ring’s Female Fighter of the Year, Mizuki Hiruta returns to face Mai Soliman in the PPV opener of “Glory in Giza."

It’s a step up for The Ring and WBO 115-pound champion to fight on a card headlined by Oleksandr Usyk's Ring/WBC heavyweight title defense against Rico Verhoeven at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt. The event will be available to stream live on DAZN.

Hiruta’s trainer, Manny Robles, has no doubt she's more than ready.

“She's definitely prepared for this moment,” Robles told The Ring. “It's been a steady process. She had a very good year last year. Ring Fighter of the Year, making her seventh defense of her world title — this didn't happen overnight. Today, what she's going through at this precise moment in time, it was a process, but I believe that she's ready for the moment now.”

Hiruta (10-0, 2 KOs), 30, of Okayama City, Japan, went 4-0 in 2025 with all four victories being by unanimous decision. She last fought on November 22 and won every round across the judges’ scorecards against Gloria Gallardo.

Beyond her growth inside the ring, Robles also praised the Japanese champion’s impact in the gym and how easy she has been to train.

“She lights up the place,” he said. “She's lighting up this place right now. She's an incredible individual, great boxer, great person overall, very hardworking, humble [and] dedicated. She's a perfect fighter for me. For a coach, she's a perfect fighter. I couldn't ask for a better fighter than her.”

Soliman (10-1, 6 KOs) of Cairo, Egypt, has fought the entirety of her career in Australia. Soliman, 28, enters Saturday on a nine-fight win streak and has won her last four fights by stoppage. She last fought on November 7 and beat Jasmine Parr by seventh-round stoppage.

With Soliman, Robles believes Hiruta has the perfect opportunity to take her career to another stratosphere.
“I believe come Saturday night, all goes well, this is like her prom night,” Robles said. “This is definitely going to take her to the next level.“

[Ruthless-RKO]

Oleksandr Usyk vs Rico Verhoeven official weigh-in results:

Oleksandr Usyk - 233.3 lbs
Rico Verhoeven - 258.7 lbs

[JC]

Oleksandr Usyk vs Rico Verhoeven official weigh-in results:

Oleksandr Usyk - 233.3 lbs
Rico Verhoeven - 258.7 lbs

Career heaviest for Usyk.

[joshj909]

Oleksandr Usyk vs Rico Verhoeven official weigh-in results:

Oleksandr Usyk - 233.3 lbs
Rico Verhoeven - 258.7 lbs

Career heaviest for Usyk.

Probably looking for a KO to avoid any embarrassment for the fight going on too long

[Ruthless-RKO]

Oleksandr Usyk-Rico Verhoeven weigh-in: Usyk 233.3lbs; Verhoeven 258.7lbs

Oleksandr Usyk came in at a career-heaviest 233.3lbs ahead of tomorrow's heavyweight clash with Rico Verhoeven at the Pyramids of Giza, Egypt. The unlikeliest of WBC heavyweight title challengers weighed 258.7lbs.

Usyk, 24-0 (15 KOs), weighed a little over 227lbs for his most recent bout, a fifth-round stoppage of Daniel Dubois last July. The 1-0 (1 KO) Verhoeven, a kickboxer, weighed 269lbs for his most recent (and only) boxing bout, a 2014 knockout of Janos Finfera.

Also at heavyweight, in a markedly more competitive affair, Frank Sanchez weighed 240.4lbs for his IBF eliminator with Richard Torrez Jnr, who hit the scales at 229.5lbs.

In a battle for the vacant WBA 'regular' welterweight strap, Jack Catterall weighed 146.8lbs compared to that of 145.7lbs for his opponent, Shakhram Giyasov.

In another title fight, Hamzah Sheeraz (167.9lbs) is expected to bag the vacant WBO super middleweight title when he takes on Alem Begic (166.9lbs).

Down at super flyweight, in a women's bout for the WBO title, Mizuki Hiruta weighed 114.7lbs to Mai Soliman's 114lbs.

[Ruthless-RKO]

The weights in full are as follows:

RING, WBC, WBA, IBF heavyweight titles, 12 rounds
Oleksandr Usyk, 233.3 pounds
Rico Verhoeven, 258.7 pounds

WBO super middleweight title, 12 rounds
Hamzah Sheeraz, 167.9 pounds
Alem Begic, 166.9 pounds

WBA 'regular' welterweight title, 12 rounds
Jack Catterall, 146.8 pounds
Shakhram Giyasov, 145.7 pounds

IBF heavyweight world title eliminator, 12 rounds
Frank Sanchez, 240.4 pounds
Richard Torrez, 229.5 pounds

RING, WBO junior bantamweight titles, 10 rounds
Mizuki Hiruta, 114.7 pounds
Mai Soliman, 114 pounds

[veriton]

I'm a big Bunce fan but his BBC podcast on this fight is a disgrace.

Chatting with Eddie Hearn at length about how he thinks the pyramids were built. We rightly have a go at the YouTube divs for not being serious journalists but this is on a par with that.

Zero probing, zero mention of criticism, zero reason for him being there on the public's pound if he is just going to glaze everyone.

[golden_labrador]

I'm a big Bunce fan but his BBC podcast on this fight is a disgrace.

Chatting with Eddie Hearn at length about how he thinks the pyramids were built. We rightly have a go at the YouTube divs for not being serious journalists but this is on a par with that.

Zero probing, zero mention of criticism, zero reason for him being there on the public's pound if he is just going to glaze everyone.

i listen to most of those bbc Bunce podcasts but sometimes you just know it's going to be mindless bilge and I don't bother. Barry Jones is always quality though on it.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Live Weigh In

[Boxerbeetle]

A very tasteful and subtle piece.

[KiwiRider]

Three good fights on this card: Torrez-Sanchez, Hiruta-Soliman and Catteral-Giyasov.

There rest are either mismatches (Sheeraz vs age 39 Begic) or mediocre boxers (Yehra-Kalyalya, Almohammed-Imprax, Hikal-Sserunkuma, Mamdouh-Talley).

I would have liked to see another Ukrainian heavyweight like Hrytsiv, Vykhryst, or Novytskyi on the undercard matched up against a British or American heavyweight like Dacres, Hines, Juarez, or Moore.

For me, that's actually enough to watch it
I don't care about the main event at all, I just want it over with so the division can move on.