Oleksandr Usyk retained his heavyweight title in Egypt, but his place at the top of the pound-for-pound rankings did not survive his fight with Rico Verhoeven intact.

Usyk was already on his way down most pound-for-pound charts due to his decision to face a kickboxer rather than a top heavyweight.

Despite DAZN’s insistence during the broadcast that Usyk remained number one, even in their own rankings Naoya Inoue was sitting above the Ukrainian before the blow was dealt at the Pyramids.

This alone suggested that Usyk was never going to retain his long-held number two position, regardless of the result.

The only real question was how far it would fall.

Usyk vs. Verhoeven fight

As detailed in WBN’s round-by-round live coverage, the performance itself only accelerated the slide.

Usyk fought for long stretches with Rico Verhoeven, a GLORY kickboxing legend taking part in only his second professional boxing competition.

Instead of controlling the fight with the dominance you’d expect from one of boxing’s elite pound-for-pound stars, Usyk looked uncomfortable, frustrated and at times truly defenseless against Verhoeven’s awkward movements and odd timing.

Even when the champion finally succeeded delayed and forced a dramatic stoppage, more damage had already been done to his aura.

Usyk’s pound-for-pound decline

After ten rounds of the fight with Verhoeven, WBN decided on number six for Usyk, just above Devin Haney.

Naoya Inoue currently remains number one, with Shakur Stevenson, Jesse Rodriguez, Dmitry Bivol and David Benavidez overtaking the heavyweight champion after the worst performance of Usyk’s career.

This leaves Usyk outside the sport’s true elite class for now, even as he insists on his top-flight status.

However, this is not about depriving Usyk of his achievements. It’s about recognizing the decisions made and the results achieved.

The Ukrainian remains undefeated, still holds the WBC, WBA and IBF heavyweight titles, and has won victories, among others. over Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois.

However, the pound-for-pound rankings are intended to reflect current form and dominance relative to expectations.

The heavyweight champion, widely considered one of the best fighters in the world, should not lose heavily in rounds to an opponent who is just emerging in professional boxing.

There is no escape from this reality, no matter how extraordinary Verhoeven’s boxing style and pedigree.

Usyk is no longer untouchable

The irony is that Usyk will likely win the rematch much easier if the two meet again.

The intrigue around the second fight had largely disappeared, as Usyk was now expected to prepare specifically for the unconventional attacks that had surprised him in Egypt.

However, the first impression cannot be erased, because for one night at the Pyramids, Oleksandr Usyk no longer looked untouchable.

And for a fighter at the very top of pound-for-pound boxing, that image will be challenging to erase from his legacy.

About the Author

Phil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a boxing veteran with over 15 years of experience. Read the full biography.

David Benavidez has been accused of making “excuses” to take a “different path,” seemingly distancing himself from the top 200-pound fight.

“The Mexican Monster” made his cruiserweight debut earlier this month, becoming a three-division world champion dethroning Gilberto Ramirez after the sixth round.

However, despite Ramirez winning the WBO and WBA titles, Benavidez expressed interest in returning to 175 pounds, where he still holds the WBC belt, and facing unified champion Dmitry Bivol.

It would be for the undisputed featherlight heavyweight crown, which Bivol won by majority decision in his February 2025 rematch with Artur Beterbiev.

Before he attempts to reclaim the WBC belt, however, Bivol must first defend two of his three major titles against mandatory challenger Michael Eifert on May 30.

After that, Benavidez will almost certainly target Bivol, even though cruiserweight rival Jai Opetaia accused him of taking a “smarter path.”

I’m talking to Ring Magazinethe former IBF champion assured that he would be ready to fight Benavidez, but only if the 29-year-old’s team was willing to show the same enthusiasm.

“This fight is effortless on our side. I was ready… All I hear is excuses. How bad you feel [Benavidez] do you want to fight?

“I heard he would choose a different path, and honestly, I think he would choose a wiser path.”

Although considered by many to be the No. 1 cruiserweight, Opetaia no longer has a world title to attract Benavidez. Instead, it means his potential fight with Benavidez would not be a three-belt unification fight.

According to. Snoop Dogg is set to star in an upcoming boxing drama titled Deadlinewho first informed about the casting. The Long Beach native will appear alongside Brandon Perea, known for his role as Jordan Peele in the film.

The project is more of a feature film than a series. Eric Amadio, who previously worked on the FX series, is writing and directing. Snoop’s exact role has not been revealed.

History

Per Deadline, it follows a tranquil street fighter raised in a Long Beach group home, torn between a troubled past and a future in professional boxing, trying to leave the backyard brawls behind and following his estranged father into the sport. Amadio described the film as both a coming-of-age boxing picture and a story about faith, presenting the theme as having faith in yourself when no one else has it, and having faith in people who refuse to give up on you.

Amadio addressed both casting choices for the lead role in comments reported by Deadline, saying that Perea gave him the nuanced, complicated fighter the role required and that Snoop portrayed an real character who has seen every version of the kid and still puts his trust in him.

Production details

The film will be produced by Snoop Dogg’s Death Row Pictures along with Everlast Pictures. In a statement, Snoop said his company is proud to be a part of the project, calling it a story built on heart, grit, struggle and redemption, tied to the spirit of Long Beach.

Deadline first reported on the project in March 2022, when rapper and actor Common joined the cast of the film alongside Perea. Filming will begin in Los Angeles this summer.

Snoop Dogg’s acting credits include , , and .