Rico Verhoeven has opened up on exactly what it feels like to share a ring with Oleksandr Usyk — and perhaps surprisingly, the reigning kickboxing king doesn’t believe the heavyweight champion is the hardest hitter he’s ever faced.
The Dutch powerhouse pushed Usyk further than many expected when the pair collided in Egypt last month, in a blockbuster showdown staged against the backdrop of the Pyramids of Giza.
What looked like a complete mismatch on paper quickly turned into something far more competitive.
Usyk entered the contest defending his heavyweight titles, with Verhoeven making the jump from kickboxing into one of the toughest possible boxing debuts imaginable. Plenty expected it to be a one-sided night. It wasn’t.
Instead, Verhoeven proved he belonged.
Across the opening rounds, the Glory heavyweight champion settled in impressively, using his size, timing and composure to disrupt Usyk’s rhythm. He banked multiple rounds and, remarkably, was even ahead on one of the official scorecards heading into the championship rounds.
That alone was enough to raise eyebrows.
For a fighter stepping into elite-level boxing against one of the sport’s most technically gifted champions, Verhoeven’s performance silenced plenty of doubters.
But as great champions often do, Usyk found the answer late.
In the 11th round, the Ukrainian finally landed the breakthrough shot — a heavy punch that sent Verhoeven to the canvas for the first time in the fight. The Dutchman beat the count and got back up, but Usyk sensed the finish and immediately swarmed him in the corner.
Moments later, referee Mark Lyson waved it off.
The stoppage sparked immediate debate.
A number of fans and pundits believed Verhoeven was still in the fight and should have been given more time to recover. Adding even more controversy, the bell had reportedly already sounded to end the round before the referee officially halted proceedings.
That detail only fuelled the aftermath.
Verhoeven launched an official appeal in the hope of overturning the result, but that challenge ultimately failed. Despite that setback, he has made it clear he wants to run it back immediately.
And while the defeat was painful, it also gave Verhoeven a close-up look at what makes Usyk so difficult.
Speaking to TalkSport, the kickboxing icon gave an honest assessment of the unified heavyweight champion’s punching power — and it wasn’t quite what some might expect.
“He’s a very technical and intelligent fighter, and his power is good. Nothing crazy, but he has a punch on him,” Verhoeven said. “He’s not the hardest I have been hit by; that would be Semmy Schilt. He hit way harder; he was a big guy with a lot of power.”
That’s a serious statement considering who Verhoeven has shared the ring with.
The man he singled out, Semmy Schilt, is one of the most physically imposing figures the sport has ever seen.
Standing at 6ft 11in and weighing over 20 stone during his fighting days, Schilt built a reputation as one of kickboxing’s most intimidating heavyweights. His sheer size, combined with elite timing and devastating force, made him a nightmare matchup for anyone.
Verhoeven experienced that first-hand back in 2012 when the two clashed in kickboxing.
Schilt took the win by unanimous decision that night, and clearly left a lasting impression.
Across his career, Schilt amassed 50 kickboxing bouts, winning 43 of them. While only 20 came via knockout, his physical presence alone often told the story before the opening bell even rang.
For Verhoeven to place him above Usyk in pure punching power says plenty.
But it also says something about Usyk.
Because if his power isn’t what overwhelms opponents, it’s everything else.
His timing. His intelligence. His ability to read fights and adjust under pressure.
That’s exactly what Verhoeven found out in Egypt.
Even in a fight where the challenger exceeded expectations and pushed him deeper than many predicted, Usyk still found the moment that mattered most.
And if Verhoeven gets his rematch, he’ll know exactly what’s coming next time.
The question now is whether that knowledge will be enough to change the ending.
Featured image credit: Instagram/RingMagazine / Rico Verhoeven / Instagram
