Oleksandr Usyk vs Rico Verhoeven preview: Heavyweight mismatch

Oleksandr Usyk will stop Rico Verhoeven when the pair meet at the Pyramids of Giza on Saturday, according to a BoxingScene preview that characterizes the heavyweight bout as a mismatch dressed up by its Egyptian setting. The undefeated champion takes on a kickboxer whose lone professional boxing appearance came 12 years ago.

Usyk, 24-0 with 15 knockouts, is widely considered the best heavyweight on the planet and arguably the sport's top pound-for-pound fighter. Verhoeven, 1-0 with one stoppage, holds a dominant kickboxing record but has not competed in the sweet science since his professional debut over a decade ago. BoxingScene's preview notes that even Usyk's closest heavyweight rivals would be given little chance against him, making Verhoeven's prospects slim at best.

Why the spectacle cannot mask the gulf in experience

The fight reportedly takes place at the feet of the Pyramids of Giza, a location organizers hope will generate interest beyond the competitive merits. The BoxingScene piece argues the backdrop cannot change the reality of the matchup. Verhoeven has not lost a kickboxing bout since 2015 and trains under Peter Fury, but his highlight reel shows most stoppages came via kicks. Without the ability to use his legs as weapons, the 37-year-old Dutchman faces a technical puzzle he has never encountered at this level.

Usyk, 39, has cleaned out the cruiserweight division and twice beaten Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, and Daniel Dubois. The Ukrainian trains with the same intensity regardless of opponent, according to the preview, and will not arrive unprepared the way Fury did when he struggled past Francis Ngannou in 2023. That MMA crossover bout was cited as evidence these spectacles rarely deliver, alongside Conor McGregor's lopsided loss to Floyd Mayweather and Ngannou's knockout defeat to Joshua.

Verhoeven recorded just 16 stoppages in 64 kickboxing fights listed on BoxRec, per the report. The preview expects Usyk to break through around the halfway point of the scheduled 12-rounder, with the champion's speed and boxing IQ overwhelming a game but outmatched challenger. The fight airs Saturday from Egypt.

Source: boxingscene.com