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

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[joshj909]

I don't think any casual I know actually knows this event is happening or the context behind it. Surely it will be a massive flop except for kickboxing fans or which there comparably aren't that many?

[gilgamesh]

I don't think any casual I know actually knows this event is happening or the context behind it. Surely it will be a massive flop except for kickboxing fans or which there comparably aren't that many?

Casuals don't know there is a Heavyweight named Oleksandr Usyk. Let alone that he's the Champion.

[joshj909]

I don't think any casual I know actually knows this event is happening or the context behind it. Surely it will be a massive flop except for kickboxing fans or which there comparably aren't that many?

Casuals don't know there is a Heavyweight named Oleksandr Usyk. Let alone that he's the Champion.

I think they do but they don't know much else. They know Fury and Joshua are passed it. They know Dubois is still knocking about but know that he already lost twice to Usyk. Some know of Wardley or Itauma. They don't know much else about the goings on at the top of the heavyweight division at the moment.

[Ruthless-RKO]

I don't think any casual I know actually knows this event is happening or the context behind it. Surely it will be a massive flop except for kickboxing fans or which there comparably aren't that many?

Casuals don't know there is a Heavyweight named Oleksandr Usyk. Let alone that he's the Champion.

British casuals know him.

But will probably only watch him if he fights someone they actually know.

[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.”

[881073]

Oh, so you are the official speaker of "credible sources"? This approach is so typical, combined with another cliche - "hater". Why would I be a hater by stating facts? Did I say Usyk is a *hitty boxer? Am I obliged to like/love somebody? In that sense, you don't sound very positive towards me, without even knowing me.

Keep trying to reason how this is not the poorest defence move in boxing's history if that calms you. I have a bad surprise for you - some people agree, and you can't do anything to change it.

You don't have any sources, because if you would have had, you wouldn't be able to write such nonsense.
You're not stating facts, you stated "First, this is by far the worst and most disgraceful titles defense", that's obviously completely wrong, Rico is simply by far the best competition out there by far at this very moment.
Then you state "because although a very good kickboxer (and definitely not among the greatest), he is not a boxer and a lot better ones are bypassed by Usyk", well first of all Rico is by fer the best super heavyweight kickboxer in the history of the sport. The longest undefeated streak as far as I know is about 3 years. Rico did that and stayed undefeated for another decade on top of that, such a thing has never happened in the history of the sport, especially not at Super heavyweight, a class boxers don't even have at all.
You then write "Second, Tommy Morrison was not praised as highly as the tricky cheaty belly.
Why didn't Usyk try a kickboxing match instead? Or agree on one boxing, and one kickboxing?"
I don't know what Tommy Morrison has to do with anything, essentially the whole text doesn't make any sense at all, it looks like a drunk men talking.
As far as I know, there has never, in the entire history of the sport of boxing, a heavyweight boxer who made it to the second round in a kickboxing match against any kickboxer and I would love to be proven wrong about that. Not just against Rico, but against any decent active kickboxer at all. What on earth makes you think a blown up cruiserweight would be able to do that against the undisputed super heavyweight world champion?

Kickboxers joining boxing on the other hand, very often become world champions, those are actual facts. Usyk is just another example of that, he has kickboxed as well.

You then write "Rico and the MMA guys are the ones who want the payday. If you want the payday, do what you're fking told.."
First of all, that's not true, Rico has received higher offers, he just wants legacy and sees an opportunity to win a world title.
You can cry all day every day pretty much exactly like you're doing right now and for quite a while now, but the fact remains that Rico has been very patient and already said ages ago that he planned to stop defending his kickboxing super heavyweight world title after he did that for 10 years. His choice is a very logical choice. He might fight Kabayel or whatever afterwards. That's assuming Kabayel even wants that at all, Kabayel knows Rico and most likely wants none of him. He probably rather go's for more easy opponents like Dubois, AJ, name them.

There is absolutely no way possible that it's true that Rico has received higher offers than what he's going to make for this fight.

He's probably never been offered half of what he's making here.

Yes he has, he could have made more money fighting Francis Ngannou, but Rico prefered the boxing challenge.

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Fury had Ngannou

AJ had Jake Paul

Usyk has Rico.

Only AJ wasn’t a defending champion in his.

[joshj909]

Fury had Ngannou

AJ had Jake Paul

Usyk has Rico.

Only AJ wasn’t a defending champion in his.

Fury fighting Ngannou held up the Usyk fight but his fight against Chisora before then was probably more frustrating. Collectively, they were definitely annoying.

AJ Vs Ngannou made more sense given that Nbgannou probably beat Fury, the Paul fight was a waste of time though but as he was planning a a comeback fight anyway and he held no belts it wasn't the end of the world.

Usyk is bordering on retirement with challengers ready for him. He holds three belts as well. If he retires after this or only have one or two more fights but misses out on a big one then people will obviously be annoyed.

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Fury had Ngannou

AJ had Jake Paul

Usyk has Rico.

Only AJ wasn’t a defending champion in his.

Fury fighting Ngannou held up the Usyk fight but his fight against Chisora before then was probably more frustrating. Collectively, they were definitely annoying.

AJ Vs Ngannou made more sense given that Nbgannou probably beat Fury, the Paul fight was a waste of time though but as he was planning a a comeback fight anyway and he held no belts it wasn't the end of the world.

Usyk is bordering on retirement with challengers ready for him. He holds three belts as well. If he retires after this or only have one or two more fights but misses out on a big one then people will obviously be annoyed.

Oh Yh forgot about AJ vs Ngannou. But like you said. Many has him beating Fury..

And again, with AJ and him, there was no belt at stake.

[gilgamesh]

You don't have any sources, because if you would have had, you wouldn't be able to write such nonsense.
You're not stating facts, you stated "First, this is by far the worst and most disgraceful titles defense", that's obviously completely wrong, Rico is simply by far the best competition out there by far at this very moment.
Then you state "because although a very good kickboxer (and definitely not among the greatest), he is not a boxer and a lot better ones are bypassed by Usyk", well first of all Rico is by fer the best super heavyweight kickboxer in the history of the sport. The longest undefeated streak as far as I know is about 3 years. Rico did that and stayed undefeated for another decade on top of that, such a thing has never happened in the history of the sport, especially not at Super heavyweight, a class boxers don't even have at all.
You then write "Second, Tommy Morrison was not praised as highly as the tricky cheaty belly.
Why didn't Usyk try a kickboxing match instead? Or agree on one boxing, and one kickboxing?"
I don't know what Tommy Morrison has to do with anything, essentially the whole text doesn't make any sense at all, it looks like a drunk men talking.
As far as I know, there has never, in the entire history of the sport of boxing, a heavyweight boxer who made it to the second round in a kickboxing match against any kickboxer and I would love to be proven wrong about that. Not just against Rico, but against any decent active kickboxer at all. What on earth makes you think a blown up cruiserweight would be able to do that against the undisputed super heavyweight world champion?

Kickboxers joining boxing on the other hand, very often become world champions, those are actual facts. Usyk is just another example of that, he has kickboxed as well.

You then write "Rico and the MMA guys are the ones who want the payday. If you want the payday, do what you're fking told.."
First of all, that's not true, Rico has received higher offers, he just wants legacy and sees an opportunity to win a world title.
You can cry all day every day pretty much exactly like you're doing right now and for quite a while now, but the fact remains that Rico has been very patient and already said ages ago that he planned to stop defending his kickboxing super heavyweight world title after he did that for 10 years. His choice is a very logical choice. He might fight Kabayel or whatever afterwards. That's assuming Kabayel even wants that at all, Kabayel knows Rico and most likely wants none of him. He probably rather go's for more easy opponents like Dubois, AJ, name them.

There is absolutely no way possible that it's true that Rico has received higher offers than what he's going to make for this fight.

He's probably never been offered half of what he's making here.

Yes he has, he could have made more money fighting Francis Ngannou, but Rico prefered the boxing challenge.

Bullsh*t. The most money Francis Ngannou ever made was Boxing in Boxing matches.

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[Sendo Takeshi]

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

To be honest, I always have a bad feeling, when a fighter talks about retirement. When they talk about retirement, they are retired..

[gilgamesh]

Fury had Ngannou

AJ had Jake Paul

Usyk has Rico.

Only AJ wasn’t a defending champion in his.

Ali had Inoki

Joe Louis fought more exhibitions than you can count, mostly during his Army stint I'd imagine, but a few otherwise as well.

Fury vs Ngannou was a good, competitive Heavyweight Boxing match. Nothing shameful there except for the embarrassment of how close Ngannou ran him.

AJ carrying Jake Paul so blatantly through the early rounds was pretty disgraceful, but at least he didn't let him last the distance and win.

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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.“

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Oleksandr Usyk vs Rico Verhoeven official weigh-in results:

Oleksandr Usyk - 233.3 lbs
Rico Verhoeven - 258.7 lbs

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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.

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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

[881073]

There is absolutely no way possible that it's true that Rico has received higher offers than what he's going to make for this fight.

He's probably never been offered half of what he's making here.

Yes he has, he could have made more money fighting Francis Ngannou, but Rico prefered the boxing challenge.

Bullsh*t. The most money Francis Ngannou ever made was Boxing in Boxing matches.

Lol, you think Rico Vehoeven is lying?

[Sendo Takeshi]

I guess with Netflix it's possible, but "much more money" sounds a little bit exaggerated.

He can still make the fight after that anyway. If he looks good against Usyk, he can get another big fight in boxing. If he doesn't, he can probaly always go back to that offer.
Netflix gonna continue with MMA, so I guess that door is still open.

[joshj909]

Yes he has, he could have made more money fighting Francis Ngannou, but Rico prefered the boxing challenge.

Bullsh*t. The most money Francis Ngannou ever made was Boxing in Boxing matches.

Lol, you think Rico Vehoeven is lying?

Probably yes. He's reportedly making over $10m to fight Usyk.

• Ngannou only reportedly made $1.5m against Lins and Lins only making $500k. Even the main event paid less than $3m between them.

• The UFC have never paid over $10m, not to McGregor, Lesnar, Rousey, Silva or Jones.

• In PFL, Ngannou was only getting $2m per fight as the highest paid in the companies history.

• The highest purse in kickboxing history might barely scratch 7 figures.

• Other boxers? Does he get paid more than this to fight his training partner Tyson Fury? Joshua has only recently decided to come back to Boxing. Wilder? I don't think that sells. I don't see a bigger offer for him in boxing.

What are his other options where he's making more than this?

[881073]

I'm not sure if Rico will make 10M with this fight either, it sounds a bit high to me, maybe if he wins.
But if I could grab 11 with MMA or 8 with boxing I probably would have chosen boxing as well.
Half what he did all his life was boxing, if not more.