Usyk Set to Tie Unusual Muhammad Ali Heavyweight Record

When Oleksandr Usyk faces off against Rico Verhoeven in front of the great Pyramids in Giza, he will do something no heavyweight champion has done in fifty years.

Verhoeven will challenge for the WBC heavyweight title against Usyk on May 23, 2025. Verhoeven, whose professional boxing record stands at 1–0 (1 KO), is far better known as the long-reigning GLORY heavyweight kickboxing champion, a title he has defended multiple times since 2015.

The lineal heavyweight title is the most prestigious championship in sports and arguably the only true world championship in boxing. Men from more countries have won it than almost any other championship, and it has been contested in North America, Africa, Europe, Asia, and Australia.

Currently, Muhammad Ali (56–5, 37 KOs) holds the record. Ali defended the Ring Magazine championship in multiple title fights and famously upset George Foreman (76–5, 68 KOs) in the famed Rumble in the Jungle in 1974, a fight that took place in what was then Zaire and is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Muhammad Ali standing over Sonny Liston | IMAGO / TT

Usyk will be the first heavyweight champion since Muhammad Ali to defend the lineal title on three continents. Usyk won his title in Asia (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia) and defended it there again. He also defended it and reunified the championship in London, England, against Daniel Dubois (21–2, 20 KOs) last summer.

Usyk is a globe-trotting fighter, but Ali was on a different level.

Muhammad Ali defended his title multiple times in the United States, of course, and fought in Europe and Asia as the champion.

For example, on 6 August 1966, he defeated Brian London (37–20–6, 26 KOs) in London to defend his WBC, NYSAC, and The Ring heavyweight championship. In case people think that title shenanigans are a new thing, Ernie Terrell (46–9–1, 21 KOs) held the WBA championship at the time.

Joe Frazier, George Foreman, and Muhammad Ali | IMAGO / Action Plus

Luckily, Muhammad Ali would fight several more times in Europe as the champion and would fight three times in Asia—most notably in Manila, Philippines in 1975 in the Thrilla in Manila. His one fight in Africa was the aforementioned Rumble in the Jungle against George Foreman.

In that fight, Ali also became only the second boxer in history to regain the heavyweight crown. Floyd Patterson (55–8–1, 40 KOs), a decade earlier, had been the first, although that victory came in a rematch.

If Usyk were to defend the lineal title in North America, it would tie Muhammad Ali’s record for lineal heavyweight title fights on four continents. Usyk would also tie Ali’s record of winning lineal heavyweight title fights on four continents.

None of the opponents in Usyk's next three fights are Americans, but if he were to fight in the United States, it would be historic.

He would also become the first and only fighter in history to defend the heavyweight championship on four continents.