Oleksandr Usyk returns to the ring this weekend to take on champion kickboxer Rico Verhoeven in front of the Pyramids of Giza.
No longer the undisputed heavyweight world champion after relinquishing his WBO title, Usyk is risking the remaining three belts - but Verhoeven can only claim one with victory. That is because the only sanctioning body to allow their title to be up for grabs on Saturday night is the WBC.
If Usyk is shocked and loses in an all-time sporting upset, he will relinquish the WBC strap to Verhoeven, while dropping the IBF and WBA versions of the world title.
Usyk is still unbeaten as a professional. After uniting all four belts at cruiserweight in 2018, the Ukrainian has twice reigned as undisputed champion at heavyweight. He reclaimed all four belts last July, stopping Daniel Dubois in front of over 80,000 people at Wembley Stadium.
With 15 stoppages in 24 professional fights, pound-for-pound No1 Usyk, now 39, is looking for a lucrative end to his boxing career.
Verhoeven is no spring chicken himself at 37. Formerly the ‘Prince of Kickboxing’ and now the ‘King of Kickboxing’, the Dutchman is experienced at fighting with his feet.
However, his professional boxing experience is much more limited, with just one bout under his belt - a 2014 stoppage of Janos Finfera. He did previously train with Usyk’s rival, Tyson Fury, crediting the ‘Gypsy King’ with improving his punching ability.
Usyk vs Verhoeven fight date and venue
Usyk and Verhoeven’s fight will take place in quite a unique venue on Saturday, May 23, 2026. The bout will happen in front of the Pyramids of Giza, just outside Cairo in Egypt.
Ring Magazine owner and boxing matchmaker Turki Alalshikh is no stranger to using unusual and stunning backdrops for fights. Last May, Teofimo Lopez, Devin Haney, and Ryan Garcia all fought on a card staged in a temporary ring set up in Times Square, New York.
Usyk vs Verhoeven fight time and ring walks
Usyk and Verhoeven are expected to make their respective ring walks at roughly 10:30pm BST on Saturday night, with the main event anticipated to start no later than 11pm BST. In the United States, it should be around 6pm ET and 3pm PT.
Coverage of the undercard, which includes further world title fights, begins on DAZN PPV at 7pm BST. That is 2pm ET and 11am PT. Action from the early prelims will be shown live on the Ring Magazine’s socials, starting at 4pm BST, 11am ET, and 8am PT.
As ever with boxing events, exact timings are subject to change.
How to watch Usyk vs Verhoeven
TV channel and live stream: Those wanting to watch Usyk vs Verhoeven will have to sign up to DAZN’s pay-per-view service. The entire card will be shown live on DAZN, with the PPV priced at £27.99/ $59.99.
DAZN Ultimate subscribers will be able to watch the fight as part of their subscription.
Live blog: You can follow all the action as it happens on fight night with Standard Sport’s live blog.
Usyk vs Verhoeven undercard
Usyk will be the biggest name involved this weekend, but there are plenty of high-profile fights on the undercard.
Brit Hamzah Sheeraz (22-0-1) has been handed another shot at a world title, 15 months on from his draw with Carlos Adames for the WBC middleweight belt. Having moved up to super-middleweight last summer, Sheeraz will take on undefeated German Alem Begic (29-0-1) for the vacant WBO gold.
Jack Catterall, 32-2, is still on the hunt for a world title after controversially losing to undisputed super-lightweight champion Josh Taylor in February 2022.
He faces Uzbek Shakhram Giyasov at welterweight, a bout that was originally for the WBA’s ‘regular’ belt, but is now for the full title after Rolly Romero was upgraded to ‘super world champion’ status.
At heavyweight, big hitters Frank Sanchez and Richard Torrez Jr face each other, while Japanese fighter Mizuki Hiruta defends her WBO super-flyweight title against Mai Soliman and Daniel Lapin meets Benjamin Mendes Tani.
Egyptian prospects Basem Mamdouh and Mahmoud Mobark take on Jamar Talley and Michael Kalyalya respectively.
- Oleksandr Usyk vs Rico Verhoeven
- Hamzah Sheeraz vs Alem Begic
- Shakhram Giyasov vs Jack Catterall
- Frank Sanchez vs Richard Torrez Jr
- Mizuki Hiruta vs Mai Soliman
- Daniel Lapin vs Benjamin Mendes Tani
- Basem Mamdouh vs Jamar Talley
- Mahmoud Mobark vs Michael Kalyalya
Usyk vs Verhoeven prediction
All signs point to a comfortable Usyk victory considering that Verhoeven’s last - and only - professional boxing fight came in 2014. Certainly tough and battle-hardened thanks to his kickboxing background, cross-combat boxing bouts in recent years have all ended in favour of the career boxer.
Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury both defeated Francis Ngannou in the last high-profile meetings of a heavyweight and a fighter from another discipline, albeit in very contrasting fashion.
After a run of six fights against some of the hardest hitters in the division - Joshua, Fury, and Dubois - Usyk has earned the right to call the shots when it comes to the final fights of his career. That being said, it is hard to view this contest as anything but one-sided.
Usyk has shown he still has considerable power by stopping Dubois for a second time last July, but the Ukrainian may take a risk-free approach to a lesser opponent. Expect Usyk to control the bout and if the opportunity arises, stop Verhoeven.
Usyk to win by late stoppage.
Usyk vs Verhoeven weigh-in results
Usyk weighed in at a career-heaviest 233.3lbs on Friday, seven pounds heavier than for his last win over Dubois. Verhoeven was comfortably the heavier man at 258.7lbs, dropping six from his previous kickboxing fight.
Usyk vs Verhoeven latest odds
Usyk to win: 1/33
Verhoeven to win: 13/1
Draw: 50/1
Usyk to win on points/by decision: 9/2
Usyk to win by knockout, technical knockout or disqualification: 1/6
Verhoeven to win on points/by decision: 45/1
Verhoeven to win by knockout, technical knockout or disqualification: 17/1
Odds via Betfair (subject to change).
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