Kickboxing Champion Reveals How Joshua's 'Tragedy' Paved Way for Usyk Showdown
Dutch kickboxing legend Rico Verhoeven has detailed the unexpected chain of events that led to his upcoming WBC heavyweight title fight against boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk, a bout that will take place at the historic pyramids of Giza on 23 May.
From Joshua Plans to Usyk Opportunity
In an exclusive interview with The Independent and other publications during a London press conference, Verhoeven explained how his originally scheduled 2026 boxing match with Anthony Joshua was derailed by what he described as a "tragic accident." The kickboxing icon had been linked to a high-profile bout with Joshua late last year, but just ten days after "AJ" knocked out YouTuber Jake Paul, the British boxer was involved in a fatal car crash in Nigeria.
"The fight was... it was gonna happen," Verhoeven insisted. "The fight was there, only the tragic accident happened, so that's what derailed everything. And logically, yeah, AJ needed some time to just resettle, get back to himself, and that was that."
The accident claimed the lives of two of Joshua's teammates, leaving the former world heavyweight champion's boxing future uncertain. While Joshua has since returned to training, Verhoeven's team began exploring alternative opponents.
Undisputed vs. Undisputed: A Novel Matchup
"We didn't have like... a straight new opponent, so from there on, we talked about with the team: 'Who's out there?'" Verhoeven recalled. "I said: 'What about Usyk? Like, that makes sense. Undisputed [in kickboxing] versus undisputed [in boxing].' So, that's what happened."
The 36-year-old Dutch fighter acknowledged that some boxing fans might question his credentials for a title shot but emphasized that the World Boxing Council recognized his accomplishments through their Muay Thai kickboxing department. "For them, it did make sense," he explained. "Like, 'Hey, he's one of the greatest, if not the greatest kickboxer of all time. So, he has his credentials, so a real title shot makes sense.'"
Historic Venue and Hollywood Connections
The upcoming fight will take place at one of the world's most iconic locations - the pyramids of Giza in Egypt. Verhoeven revealed that Hollywood actor Jason Statham, an acquaintance of Saudi boxing matchmaker Turki Alalshikh, was "one of the people who initiated this opportunity."
For his preparations, Verhoeven has been training with longtime boxing coach Peter Fury, uncle of British boxing star Tyson Fury. "Well, the cool thing is, something that's not broken, you don't have to fix," Verhoeven said of his work with Fury. "He gave me the fundamentals, and working with Peter [made me] such a dominant [champion] in kickboxing."
Peter Fury noted that Verhoeven "was offered a lot more money in other sports" before accepting the Usyk fight, highlighting the significance of this crossover opportunity.
Usyk's Voluntary Defense and Training Insights
Ukrainian champion Usyk, 39, explained his decision to take a voluntary title defense against the kickboxing star: "One time, I wanna do what I want, not what's needed, because a lot of the time, I do what other people need. 'You have to box like this.' I say: 'Ok, ok, ok.' Now, I do what I need."
Verhoeven also shared insights from past sparring sessions with Tyson Fury, saying: "It's been a long time, but I learned a lot from that, [to] keep working, working, working, working, working, working, beating up the cracks. That's the only thing, that's how you get better."
The press conference in London marked the official announcement of what promises to be one of the most unique boxing events of 2026, bringing together two undisputed champions from different combat sports disciplines at one of history's most remarkable venues.
