Oleksandr Usyk will face kickboxing legend Rico Verhoeven on May 23rd at the Giza Pyramids in Egypt. (Image: Getty)
Oleksandr Usyk will retreat between the ropes for the first time in almost a year this week when he takes on Rico Verhoeven in Egypt. The Ukrainian heavyweight champion will face off against the Dutch kickboxing sensation in a spectacular match at the Pyramids of Giza, and fans can order the bout here.
It’s no exaggeration to say that Usyk (24-0, 15 KOs) enters this contest as the clear favorite, as the unified world heavyweight champion takes on a kickboxer with only one professional boxing bout under his belt. This fight will be Usyk’s first since July 2025, when he knocked out Daniel Dubois to win his second world heavyweight title.
Verhoeven (1-0, 1 KO) is widely regarded as one of the best kickboxing competitors in history, boasting an impressive 66-10 record in the sport. His only appearance in a boxing ring dates back to 2014, and Saturday’s victory ranks as one of the most surprising upsets of all time, giving him the WBC title.
At an April press conference in London, Verhoeven told DAZN he had the firepower to beat Usyk. He said: “If I punch him as hard as I can, of course he’ll go down because there’s a 20kg difference in weight.
“It’s like a stacked cruiserweight. I’m a natural heavyweight, so that’s a big difference. If I take my best shot clean, it’s going to happen.”
Normally, boxing fans would have to purchase access to the Usyk vs. Rico fight on DAZN pay-per-view, but with a new deal, the streamer is offering another way to watch the fight at no additional cost.
When is Oleksandr Usyk vs. Rico Verhoeven?
Oleksandr Usyk vs. Rico Verhoeven will take place on Saturday, May 23rd, with live coverage starting at 6pm BST. Both fighters are scheduled to perform a ring walk around 10:48pm BST.
How to watch Oleksandr Usyk vs Rico Verhoeven
Oleksandr Usyk vs. Rico Verhoeven will be broadcast live exclusively on DAZN and fans can purchase the PPV for a one-off fee of £27.99. However, the streaming platform is offering PPVs at no additional charge with its new DAZN Ultimate subscription, which grants access to at least 12 PPVs per year, including Anthony Joshua vs. Christian Prengga (July 25).
This premium package also includes at least 185 fight nights a year from top promoters such as Queensberry, Matcham and Misfits. This subscription is currently available at a discounted rate of £22.99 per month (down from £24.99). You also have the option to save £25.89 by paying upfront for £249.99 per year.
DAZN claims Ultimate members can save up to £320 a year compared to buying 12 PPVs individually. However, DAZN Ultimate comes with a caveat: subscribers must commit to a 12-month contract to secure the deal.
DAZN holds exclusive broadcast rights to Usyk vs. Rico, so it won’t be aired on rival channels like Sky Sports. Alternatively, Amazon customers can stream the match on DAZN’s Prime Video channel.
Fluoreksandr Usyk vs. Rico Verhoeven fight card
Oleksandr Usyk vs. Rico Verhoeven (heavyweight) Hamza Ciras vs. Alem Begich (super middleweight) Jack Catterall vs. Shakram Giyasov (welterweight) Frank Sanchez vs. Richard Torres Jr. (heavyweight) Mizuki Hiruta vs. Mai Soliman (super flyweight) Daniel Lapin vs. Benjamin Mendes Tani (light heavyweight)
