WBC Fully Supports Plans for Oleksandr Usyk vs Rico Verhoeven Duel

JAKARTA - The plan for a heavyweight boxing match between Oleksandr Usyk vs Rico Verhoeven, turns out to have the full support of the WBC boxing body. The match is scheduled to be held around the Giza Pyramids, Egypt on May 23, 2026.

"WBC fully supports this cross-discipline fight. We will make an amazing belt, which features elements of the Egyptian Pyramid," said WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman, quoted by Sports Illustrated.

"WBC also supports the Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou fight which turned out to be very competitive. We have great respect for Rico as a legendary kickboxing heavyweight champion. Currently, there has been no discussion regarding the request to make the fight a title defense, but only a special event involving the WBC heavyweight champion," said Sulaiman again.

Usyk was supposed to fight for the WBC heavyweight championship belt against the number one challenger, Agis Kabayel from Germany. But it seems that the WBC sees a bigger business opportunity in the Usyk vs Verhoeven duel. The broadcast rights for this duel have been purchased by the British streaming television giant, DAZN, but the value has not been announced.

Verhoeven (36) is a Dutch professional kickboxing legend. Although he is three years younger than Usyk, Verhoeven's experience is far below.

Verhoeven only once had a professional boxing match, with a KO victory in the 2nd round over Hungarian amateur boxer Janos Finfera. The match took place 12 years ago in Darmstadt, Germany, and after that Verhoeven was more into kickboxing without ever boxing again.

Meanwhile, Oleksandr Usyk's reputation is beyond doubt. He has been around since he was an amateur boxer by becoming the London 2012 Olympic champion. After that, he also became a champion in professional boxing by becoming a true champion of the cruiserweight class and now the heavyweight, and an unbeaten record of 24-0-0 (15 KO).