Rico Verhoeven Sends Final Message to Oleksandr Usyk as Fight Week Approaches

Rico Verhoeven knows the odds are stacked against him in his heavyweight title fight with Oleksandr Usyk. He remains confident in his ability to become the first to defeat the champion in just his second-ever professional boxing bout.

Verhoeven, 37, returns to the ring over a decade after his professional debut, which is his only official boxing fight to date. Despite his inexperience in the sweet science, 'The King of Kickboxing' believes he possesses skills that Usyk has yet to handle.

"Oleksandr, super much respect for you taking this fight, but we're going to make it one hell of a show," Verhoeven said, via Ring Magazine. "I'm going to bring something you haven't seen before."

Rico Verhoeven promises to show Oleksandr Usyk something he’s never seen before 😳

Glory in Giza | May 23rd | LIVE on DAZN 🥊 pic.twitter.com/X8WBQdYmIg
— Ring Magazine (@ringmagazine) May 16, 2026

Verhoeven compiled a 66-10 record in kickboxing, including an active 22-fight win streak, before deciding to re-enter the boxing world. The Dutchman is unanimously viewed as one of the greatest heavyweight kickboxers of all time and a near shoo-in as a future GLORY Kickboxing Hall of Famer.

Verhoeven's heavy kickboxing base will certainly present looks that Usyk has not seen before, for better or worse. Usyk claims he is training for the fight as he would any other notable title fight, but he has no boxing footage to study Verhoeven.

Usyk returns ten months after stopping Daniel Dubois to reclaim undisputed heavyweight championship status. The Ukrainian has faced nothing but juggernauts since entering the heavyweight title picture, going a combined 6-0 against Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Dubois in the last five years.

Rico Verhoeven faces Oleksandr Usyk in 'Glory in Giza' main event

Usyk vs. Verhoeven will not only be a rare boxer vs. kickboxer heavyweight title bout, but it will also headline a historic event in Egypt.

The WBC title fight headlines an eight-fight Riyadh Season event in front of the Pyramids of Giza, appropriately billed as 'Glory in Giza.' The open-air event will have the iconic landmark in the background for DAZN pay-per-view watchers.

The heavyweights are one of four title fights on the event, three of which all feature in the final fights of the night. Hamzah Sheeraz faces the undefeated Alem Begic for the vacant WBO super middleweight title fight right after Jack Catterall toes the line with former Olympic silver medalist Shakhram Giyasov for the vacant WBA regular welterweight title.

Undefeated Japanese star Mizuki Hiruta puts her WBO super flyweight belt on the line earlier in the night against Australian contender Mai Soliman.

Soliman is of Egyptian descent and is expected to have a supportive fan base behind her on fight night.

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