"I truly respect people who reach the very top in their sport. Rico is one of them—a powerful athlete and a great champion. He's truly the king of kickboxing. Being a champion isn't just about belts. I'm ready and looking forward to meeting him in the ring. It's going to be a unique experience for both of us, a big night is coming."
"I spent 12 years as the undisputed heavyweight kickboxing champion and accomplished everything I set out to accomplish. But staying at the top for that long didn't take away from the hunger, it strengthened it. Usyk is the undisputed in boxing. That's the kind of challenge that motivated me. Undisputed versus undisputed. The best versus the best."
"I don't feel like it's a real, genuine challenge nor someone that deserves the shot. But I do understand or do concede Usyk is at a point in his career where he's able to do what he wants for a bit in that sense. He's earned the position to take an easy fight."
Oleksandr Usyk, the twice undisputed heavyweight champion holding the WBA, WBC, and IBF belts, will face Rico Verhoeven, a 36-year-old Dutch kickboxer, in a title defense at the Pyramids of Giza on 23 May. The event, called Glory in Giza, marks the first heavyweight title fight held in Egypt and will stream on Dazn. Verhoeven holds a 66-10 kickboxing record with 21 KOs and previously sparred with Tyson Fury. Usyk has won six fights in four years, including victories over Anthony Joshua, Fury, and Daniel Dubois. Verhoeven, a 12-year undisputed heavyweight kickboxing champion, views this as a challenge against boxing's undisputed champion. Fabio Wardley, who holds the WBO title, expressed disappointment, suggesting Usyk is taking an easier fight.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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