Oleksandr Usyk’s showdown with Rico Verhoeven at the pyramids will be magical... but also murky
Boxing’s unified heavyweight champion defends his WBC belt against the kickboxing great, at the pyramids of Giza
Under a moon, under the stars, and with the pyramids glowing in their neon splendour, Rico Verhoeven will attempt the impossible in the middle of the magical on Saturday night. In the opposite corner will be heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk , surrounded by his merry men and lightly dancing on his toes until it is time to fight. The pyramids of Giza will form the backdrop to the latest crazy story in boxing ’s rich tradition of mayhem: it’s crossover season again.
Verhoeven will be in a world heavyweight title fight in just his second professional boxing match and, even if he wins, he will not leave the ring with any of the world championship belts. Verhoeven will not win, but he will be a dangerous nuisance until Usyk breaks him. If Usyk loses, it will be the biggest shock ever in any sport.
Oleksandr Usyk (centre-left) and Rico Verhoeven facing off in London (Getty) There is a glorious and often ugly history of men entering the boxing ring with their skills from other fighting sports as a flimsy shield, and then getting beaten – often badly. There are some exceptions; Vitali Klitschko was a great heavyweight world champion after a good career in kickboxing. That was a permanent and early crossover, but most have finished in pain for the aspiring wrestler, jiu-jitsu master, karate king, kung fu boss and kickboxing legend.
It has been similarly hurtful when boxers have switched to MMA or Muay Thai for a bit of cash. It is a playground of hurtful truth; Anthony Joshua knocking out Francis Ngannou in 2024 and Randy Couture submitting James Toney in 2010 are ugly memories, although Ngannou’s boxing debut against Tyson Fury was beyond a commendable effort. Verhoeven has been gifted the greatest setting to change the trend; he was the Glory world kickboxing champion for an impressive 4,220 days.