"Former GLORY heavyweight kickboxing champ Rico Verhoeven will face Oleksandr Usyk for his WBC heavyweight championship in Giza, Egypt. The card takes place on May 23, 2026, and is arguably the biggest crossover fight since Conor McGregor faced Floyd Mayweather in 2017."
"Verhoeven is 1-0 as a professional boxer, a fight that took place back in 2014. He's also 1-0 as a mixed martial artist and had been in talks with the UFC to appear on the first Paramount+ card, until the promotion balked at the price tag attached to the kickboxing star."
"The Dutch striker defended his GLORY heavyweight title 13 times, and won the promotion's heavyweight tournament in 2014. He left the promotion in November, vacating his title in the process. Usyk is a perfect 24-0 inside the ring, with two wins over each of Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, among others."
Boxing is experiencing renewed creativity with major crossover events. Turki Alalshikh and partners orchestrated a significant matchup between Rico Verhoeven, the former GLORY heavyweight kickboxing champion with 13 title defenses, and undefeated boxer Oleksandr Usyk, who holds a 24-0 record and has defeated both Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. The event, titled "Glory in Giza," takes place May 23, 2026, at the Pyramids of Giza and will air on DAZN. This crossover ranks among the biggest in recent years, comparable to the Conor McGregor versus Floyd Mayweather fight in 2017. Verhoeven, primarily a kickboxer, has minimal professional boxing experience but brings elite striking credentials from his combat sports background.
Read at Cageside Press
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