Oleksandr Usyk Credits Hard Training and 'Good Pasta' for His Success

London’s Docklands hosted a muted press kickoff conference for the professional kickboxer challenging for the lineal world title at the foot of the Pyramids of Giza.

Oleksander Usyk will defend his lineal and WBC heavyweight titles in front of the Pyramids against Dutch kickboxer Rico Verhoeven (1-0 in boxing events) on May 23, live on DAZN.

Usyk (24-0, 15 KOs), The Ring’s No. 1-ranked pound-for-pound fighter, is a road warrior used to fighting on the road. In part because his native Ukraine is currently ravaged by the ongoing Russian invasion.

Verhoeven admitted, “a pyramid to climb against one of the all-time greats.“ The all-time great kickboxer looks to upset the apple cart against Usyk, but could really only point to his size as the reason he would defeat Usyk, as if Usyk has not already defeated an array of larger opponents.

Usyk’s dimensions (and birthday) are the same as Muhammad Ali, and it is perhaps the largest opponent he has handled more easily. One could argue his cruiserweight campaign was more competitive than his run at heavyweight. Verhoeven, or “Rico” as he was repeatedly referred to at the press conference, compared this fight to the “Rumble in the Jungle.”

By that standard, this was a muted press conference. In contrast, the build-up to the Rumble in the Jungle—the 1974 fight between Muhammad Ali (56–5, 37 Kos final record) and George Foreman (76–5, 68 Kos final record)—was far more intense.

The Glory in Giza seeks to equal the legendary fight

The press events for that fight were dominated by almost constant trash talk from Ali (“Foreman is a mummy!”), and in Africa, crowds greeted Ali (and sometimes George Foreman) with the Lingala-language chant “Ali, bomaye!” (“Ali, kill him!”). That fight took place in Kinshasa, Zaire ( today’s Democratic Republic of the Congo). This fight will be only the third defense of the lineal title on the African continent in boxing history.

Usyk, considered by many a top-ten or top-15 heavyweight, has a different kind of charisma and humor than Ali, as seen at the event.

Verhoeven attempted to goad Usyk a couple of times by essentially calling Usyk small – a blown-up cruiserweight no less.

“ I am really small, but size doesn’t matter,” Usyk said with a smile. He said that Verhoeven could be overcome with “good training” and his secret weapon—a “good pasta.” As if savoring the flavor in his mouth, Usyk added he preferred a “double portion” of this secret “fuel” as he called it.

The Ukrainian fighter is many things, but never apoplectic.

Before throwing a double “hang loose” sign like a California surfer, Usyk is savoring the twilight of his career—Rumble in the Jungle or not—like a good Italian meal.

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