Usyk vs. Verhoeven: Where and When to Watch the World Title Fight
22 April 04:02
Ukrainian heavyweight boxing world champion Oleksandr Usyk will face Dutch boxer Rico Verhoeven in his next fight on Saturday, May 23, 2026. The bout will take place under professional boxing rules, with the WBC heavyweight title on the line, which Usyk will defend as the champion. The WBC has announced the date, format of the fight, and title status, reports "Komersant Ukrainian"
Where will the Usyk–Verhoeven fight take place?
The fight will take place in Giza, Egypt, and the boxing event is scheduled to be held near the Pyramids of Giza.
Where to watch the Usyk vs. Verhoeven fight
The official broadcaster of the fight is the streaming platform DAZN. The platform explicitly states that the Usyk vs. Verhoeven boxing event will be shown live on DAZN, and in a separate announcement clarifies that the entire card will be broadcast via DAZN Pay-Per-View. DAZN also has a separate page for the Ukrainian market featuring content about this bout.
In addition, the Usyk vs. Verhoeven fight will be broadcast by the MEGOGO media service.
When will the Usyk vs. Verhoeven fight begin?
The official date of the fight is May 23, but the exact start time of the main event has not yet been announced. DAZN notes in its latest announcement that the time the boxers enter the ring will be announced later.
What status will the Usyk vs. Verhoeven fight have
The bout has officially been designated as a voluntary defense of the WBC title.
This means that for Oleksandr Usyk, the fight will be another title defense, while for Rico Verhoeven, it’s a chance to become a world champion in just his second professional boxing bout.
What you need to know about the Usyk vs. Verhoeven fight
For Oleksandr Usyk, this bout will be unusual, as his opponent is not a traditional professional boxer but one of the most famous figures in kickboxing. DAZN and the WBC explicitly refer to Verhoeven as a kickboxing legend in their announcements.
At the same time, the fight will officially take place under boxing rules, not kickboxing or mixed martial arts. This is important because the format of the bout has become one of the main topics surrounding the upcoming event in Egypt.
What is Oleksandr Usyk’s record heading into the fight?
In professional boxing, the 39-year-old Ukrainian has 24 wins (15 by knockout) in 24 fights.
Oleksandr last stepped into the ring in July 2025, when he knocked out Britain’s Daniel Dubois and claimed the undisputed world heavyweight title for the third time in his career. He first unified all the cruiserweight belts (weight class up to 90.7 kg), and then did so twice in the heavyweight division.
Last November, Usyk relinquished his WBO title, thereby losing his status as undisputed world heavyweight champion.
Who is Rico Verhoeven
Rico Verhoeven is a legendary Dutch kickboxer who has long held the status of one of the most famous fighters in his sport.
Ahead of his upcoming bout with Usyk, he has been actively preparing for this high-profile event in professional boxing. Although some fans are skeptical about this matchup, it is Verhoeven who will get the chance to make a big statement in a new format for him.
Read us on Telegram: important topics – without censorship
