Usyk to Defend WBC Title vs. Verhoeven in Giza on May 23

Oleksandr Usyk, the Ukrainian heavyweight boxing champion, will defend his WBC title against Dutch kickboxing star Rico Verhoeven on May 23 at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, organizers announced Friday. The bout, billed as "Glory in Giza," marks a rare crossover challenge and will stream live on DAZN.

Usyk, 39, enters the fight with an undefeated professional record of 24-0, including 15 knockouts. He holds the WBC, WBA, and IBF heavyweight belts after becoming a two-time undisputed champion in the division. His most recent victory came in July, when he stopped Daniel Dubois in the fifth round at London's Wembley Stadium, retaining his titles. Earlier accomplishments include unanimous decision wins over Anthony Joshua in 2021 and 2022, as well as back-to-back victories against Tyson Fury in 2024 that solidified his status as undisputed king. Usyk vacated the WBO belt in November to allow Fabio Wardley to claim the full version after an interim win over Joseph Parker.

Verhoeven, 36, brings a storied background from kickboxing, where he compiled a 66-10 record with 21 knockouts and reigned as heavyweight champion for over a decade. Known as the "King of Kickboxing," he defended...