Under the shadow of one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, boxing is about to stage something it has never staged before.
On May 23, Oleksandr Usyk will defend his WBC heavyweight title against kickboxing icon Rico Verhoeven at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, in a bout aptly titled “Glory in Giza”. The event will stream live on DAZN, with the desert skyline providing a backdrop rarely seen in modern championship boxing.
It’s a setting as dramatic as the match-up itself.
Usyk (24-0, 15 KOs) has spent the past several years dismantling the elite of the heavyweight division. The Ukrainian became the first undisputed heavyweight world champion of boxing’s four-belt era in 2024 when he beat Tyson Fury, becoming the sport’s first undisputed heavyweight king since Lennox Lewis. He repeated a victory over Fury in their rematch and then knocked out Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium last year to reunify the IBF, WBC, WBO and WBA heavyweight titles.
He hasn’t boxed since that fifth-round knockout win over Dubois in July and has since vacated the WBO title. But with the WBC granting him permission to make a voluntary defence before facing their mandatory challenger — interim titleholder Agit Kabayel — Usyk has opted for something far from routine.
Rather than stay within the traditional rankings, he’s stepping into a genuine crossover spectacle.
Verhoeven brings with him a reputation forged outside the ropes of boxing. Widely regarded as the best heavyweight kickboxer in the world, the 36-year-old dominated the GLORY promotion with a championship reign dating back to 2013.
He owns a 66-10 kickboxing record, defended his title 13 times — the longest heavyweight reign in GLORY history (relinquishing the title back in November) — and has been the top-ranked heavyweight in the sport for more than a decade. His last loss came in 2015.
As a boxer, though, he remains largely untested. Verhoeven has had one professional boxing bout — a knockout victory over Janos Finfera, who entered the fight with a winless 0-5 record — back in 2013/2014. He has trained with coach Peter Fury and previously sparred with Tyson Fury, but this will represent a colossal leap in opposition.
He is stepping in against The Ring’s pound-for-pound No. 1 fighter in the world.
Usyk, a three-time, two-weight undisputed champion who previously cleared out the cruiserweight division as World Boxing Super Series champion before lapping the competition at heavyweight, knows exactly what this fight represents.
“I truly respect people who reach the very top in their sport. Rico is one of them – a powerful athlete and a great champion. Being a champion isn’t just about belts. It’s about years of hard work, discipline, and belief,” Usyk said, per Sky Sports. “I respect his journey – he’s truly the ‘King of Kickboxing’.
“But this is boxing – a different game, with its own rules and its own kings. I’m ready and really looking forward to meeting him in the ring. It’s going to be a unique experience for both of us, and I know the fans are excited too. A big night is coming.”
Verhoeven, for his part, is not arriving in Egypt for spectacle alone.
“I spent 12 years as the undisputed heavyweight kickboxing champion and accomplished everything I set out to accomplish,” the former GLORY champ said. “But staying at the top for that long didn’t take away the hunger, it strengthened it. I wasn’t looking for comfort, so I started looking for the highest challenge available in another world.
“Usyk is undisputed in boxing. That’s the kind of challenge that motivates me. Undisputed versus undisputed. The best facing the best.”
Rumours of Verhoeven’s transition to boxing had circulated in recent months, including links to a potential February fight with Anthony Joshua before that opportunity fell away. Now, instead, he finds himself facing arguably the most technically complete heavyweight of his generation.
There are precedents for crossovers — Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua have both boxed UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou — but neither of those contests carried the weight of a recognised world title on the line.
This one does.
And the venue only adds to the sense that boxing is attempting something historic. “Glory in Giza” will be the first ever heavyweight title fight staged in Egypt, a deliberate collision of ancient monument and modern combat sport.
One champion has conquered boxing’s modern era. The other ruled kickboxing for over a decade.
On May 23, under the gaze of the pyramids, their worlds finally collide.
Featured image credit: X/DAZN/RingMagazine
