Usyk defends his throne at the pyramids against kickboxing legend Rico Verhoeven
On May 23, Oleksandr Usyk puts his WBC heavyweight title on the line against kickboxing legend Rico Verhoeven at the Pyramids of Giza. The setting is historic. The belt stakes are complicated.
The challenge is real.
Oct 12, 2019; Chicago, IL, USA; Oleksandr Usyk (white trunks) during his match against Chazz Witherspoon (not pictured) during a heavyweight boxing match at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jon Durr-Imagn Images CAIRO, Egypt — On Saturday, May 23, the sport of boxing will stage one of its most visually striking events in years. In the shadow of the Pyramids of Giza, Oleksandr Usyk will put his WBC heavyweight title on the line against Rico Verhoeven, the most decorated kickboxer on the planet.
The setting is spectacular. The matchup is fascinating. The outcome, for most observers, feels predetermined.
Usyk arrives in Egypt as the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world, a title he unified by twice defeating Tyson Fury. He is widely regarded as one of the finest boxers of his generation and at 37 years old, the Ukrainian southpaw has nothing left to prove and everything to protect. Verhoeven, also 37, carries his own form of legend into this fight, just not the boxing kind.