Boxing
Usyk vs. Rico Verhoeven confirmed for the WBC title fight
Nevertheless, the sanctioning authority approved him as a challenger.
This is not an argument against Verhoeven’s athletic past. His achievements in kickboxing are extensive. For more than a decade, he held some version of the heavyweight championship and defended it against elite opponents, building a long reign in another combat sport. He understands the pressure of a championship and has performed at the highest level available to him over the years.
The question is whether this story translates directly into qualifying for the world heavyweight boxing champion title.
Usyk, now 39, has achieved his position through specific steps in the sport. After moving up from cruiserweight, he defeated established challengers and unified the titles in high-level fights. His most recent winning streak included two wins over Tyson Fury in Riyad, before he stopped Daniel Dubois within five rounds to retain his champion status. Each of these fights was against ranked heavyweights operating within boxing’s competitive order.
Verhoeven steps in without this path. He was absent from professional boxing for over a decade and did not build final rounds against newfangled heavyweights, did not advance through eliminators or move up the ranking ladder in a newfangled championship setting. Despite this, the WBC deemed him suitable to fight for the belt.
The event itself explains part of the calculation. The fight, tagged “Glory in Giza”, will take place in Egypt and will be broadcast worldwide on DAZN under the leadership of His Excellency Turki Alalshikh. The scale of staging, historical setting and financial support position it as a destination event built with international reach in mind, rather than a routine defense from a line of challengers.
The heavyweight championship has traditionally been run with ranked challengers, eliminators, and a structured mandatory defense. This system was never inflexible, but existed as a apparent framework. Approving a crossover fighter with a single fight in professional boxing goes beyond this framework and adapts the standard used.
Supporters of the decision will cite Verhoeven’s credentials. He has no shortage of experience in combat sports and is no stranger to performing under the pressure of championships. Physically he fits the division and commercially he attracts a different segment of the audience to the event. From a promotional point of view, the appeal is obvious.
However, sanctions are intended to reflect the competitive position within the sport itself.
Usyk’s position complicates the picture. Having united and defended against established names, he operates with the freedom that often accompanies long-reigning champions. Heavyweight title holders historically select opponents based on the prize and the time they have cleared their main field. An opponent with narrow boxing experience has a different risk profile than a ranked fighter with dozens of professional fights under his belt.
This adjustment does not erase the legality of the belt, but it does indicate how malleable the approval process can become when the scale of events and global reach are at stake.
The heavyweight championship has long functioned as the symbolic center of boxing. Decisions about who competes for it reflect how the sport weighs competitive order against commercial ambitions. In this case, the emphasis clearly favors the scope and spectacular nature of the event.
Verhoeven made his mark in kickboxing. Usyk has earned his place in boxing. On May 23, these careers will converge under the rules of the heavyweight championship, and the event can succeed on its own terms.
Despite this, a fighter who had been absent from professional boxing for twelve years was allowed to fight for the most apparent prize in the sport. This fact alone tells you where the heavyweight title permits are currently at.
“I just don’t think they’re going to face the fire,” Hearn told iFL TV about Dana White and his company at Zuffa.
“You have years of catching, putting out fires and being bombarded with pellets and grenades to overcome this.
“I just don’t think they’ll be ready for the fire. You must be a little unwell.” [__] to do this. That’s what I do.”
Hearn also ridiculed White’s recent comments about boxing promotion and said the UFC president faces criticism now that he is in the boxing industry.
“He stank,” Hearn said.
“He’s not used to this. Don’t forget what we do, which is meeting people, giving interviews. But he had a narrative.
“He didn’t have anyone like that. That’s why he can’t do it and instead just says weird lyrics.”
Hearn later joked that White’s repeated comments about him actually helped escalate his visibility in the United States.
“I have to thank Dana White,” Hearn said.
“Every press conference he holds, he talks about me.
“I think there are people asking, ‘Who is this Eddie Hearn?’ Little Google, boss, Eddie Hearn.
Promoter Matchroom also rejected White’s recent claim that no promoter has staged more boxing events this year than Zuffa Boxing.
“The entire media audience responded, ‘Okay,’ and moved on to the next question,” Hearn said.
“Imagine if I said that. I would be fried by it in an instant.”
Hearn’s latest comments come as Zuffa Boxing continues to try to establish itself in the sport following months of public photos between White and several longtime boxing promoters.
The weigh-ins quickly turned tense when Albright apparently sent a message directly to Davis during their bout.
“Be a professional,” Albright said in a recording later released by DAZN Boxing.
The lack of weight immediately sparked a backlash online, as Davis has dealt with weight issues before. Last year, Davis lost his WBO lightweight title after losing more than four pounds ahead of his scheduled defense against Edwin De Los Santos.
Friday also marked the second time Davis has failed to make weight in his last three fights.
Top Rank promoter Bob Arum admitted that Davis was having difficulty gaining 140 pounds and suggested that the problem may still exist.
“Well, obviously he has issues at 140,” Arum told Fighthype. “The problem is the next category is seven pounds. That’s a gigantic difference.”
Arum also compared Friday’s setback to the loss of Davis, who was previously more than four pounds compact before his canceled fight with De Los Santos last year.
“It was inexcusable because he was five pounds overweight,” Arum said.
“He is now 0.1 weight off which he will improve and get down to 140 or less.”
Keyshawn was later asked by DAZN what he told Albright during Friday’s matchup.
“I didn’t say anything,” Davis said. “That’s what I do. I knock people out.”
When asked what kind of performance he expected in the rematch, Keyshawn gave a compact answer.
“An unexpected spectacle.”
There was already bad blood in the rematch after their first fight in October 2023 was later changed to a no-contest after Keyshawn tested positive for marijuana. Their original meeting initially resulted in Keyshawn winning by a majority vote.
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