Rico Verhoeven is aiming for a statement finish when he crosses over into boxing to challenge Oleksandr Usyk’s WBC heavyweight title on May 23 in Egypt.
Verhoeven, a former GLORY kickboxing champion with a 1-0 boxing record, will face the unified heavyweight champion Usyk (24-0) in a championship bout staged in front of the Pyramids of Giza.
Confident in his size and power, Verhoeven said, "When I land my best punch on him, of course, he will go down," adding, "It’s, like, a 20 kilo weight difference," and, "He’s like a built-up cruiserweight, and I’m like a naturally-born heavyweight. That’s a big difference. That's what's going to happen if I land my best shot clean."
Verhoeven called the matchup a historic chance, stating, "All smiles because what an opportunity we have to upset the world and write history," and embraced the risk of facing the unbeaten champion: "Exactly what Eddie said, 'Are you crazy?' I think to be the very best at what you're going, you have to be a little bit crazy... I'm crazy excited to be here and super thankful for the opportunity that Alexander Usyk has given me."
Verhoeven is listed as a 6'5 heavyweight who weighs around 270 pounds, while Usyk is considered one of today's smaller heavyweights after moving up from cruiserweight in 2019.
