Boxing fans, get ready for a spectacle unlike any other! On May 23, 2026, the ancient sands of Giza will host a heavyweight showdown that’s already capturing imaginations worldwide. Unified heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk is set to defend his WBC title against kickboxing legend Rico Verhoeven, and the bout will unfold in the dramatic shadow of the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt. This unique event, dubbed “Glory in Giza,” will be streamed live on DAZN pay-per-view, bringing together the worlds of boxing and kickboxing for a night that promises fireworks and history.
Usyk, 39, enters the ring with a flawless professional boxing record of 24 wins, 15 by knockout, and not a single loss on his ledger. The Ukrainian southpaw has already etched his name in the annals of boxing by conquering the heavyweight division’s best—Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury, and Daniel Dubois—twice each in his last six outings. His most recent triumph came in July 2025, when he stopped Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium, cementing his place as a two-time undisputed heavyweight king. Usyk currently holds the WBC, WBA, and IBF belts, having vacated the WBO title in November 2025.
“I truly respect people who reach the very top in their sport,” Usyk said on Friday, addressing the media and fans. “Rico is one of them—a powerful athlete and a great champion. Being a champion isn’t just about belts. It’s about years of hard work, discipline, and belief. I respect his journey—he’s truly the ‘King of Kickboxing’. But this is boxing—a different game, with its own rules and its own kings. I’m ready and really looking forward to meeting him in the ring. It’s going to be a unique experience for both of us, and I know the fans are excited too. A big night is coming.”
Verhoeven, 36, is no stranger to dominance himself. The Dutch fighter is widely regarded as the best heavyweight kickboxer of his era, boasting a staggering 66-10 record in kickboxing, with 21 knockouts and a reign as GLORY heavyweight champion that stretched for 12 years. He defended his title an astonishing 13 times and hasn’t tasted defeat since 2015. However, the transition from kickboxing to boxing is a steep climb—Verhoeven’s boxing résumé is limited to a single professional bout, a knockout win over Janos Finfera in 2014. He’s trained with coach Peter Fury and even sparred with Tyson Fury, but May 23 will mark the first time he steps into the squared circle for a prizefight in over a decade.
“I spent 12 years as the undisputed heavyweight kickboxing champion and accomplished everything I set out to accomplish,” Verhoeven declared in the official fight announcement. “But staying at the top for that long didn’t take away the hunger, it strengthened it. I wasn’t looking for comfort, so I started looking for the highest challenge available in another world. Usyk is undisputed in boxing. That’s the kind of challenge that motivates me—undisputed versus undisputed. The best facing the best.”
The fight itself is sanctioned as a voluntary defense for Usyk, as granted by the WBC. The organization has permitted him to take on Verhoeven before facing their mandatory challenger, Agit Kabayel. This decision has sparked some debate in the boxing community, with British heavyweight Fabio Wardley—recently elevated to full WBO world champion after Usyk vacated the belt—voicing his disappointment. “I’m hugely disappointed. As proven by this and other fights I want to challenge myself against the best. I want to be in there with some of the best in the world,” Wardley told Sky Sports. Regarding Verhoeven’s shot at the title, Wardley added, “I don’t feel like it’s a real, genuine challenge nor someone that deserves the shot. But I do understand or do concede Usyk is at a point in his career, he has earned the point where he’s able to do what he wants for a bit in that sense. He’s earned the position to, in that sense, take an easy fight.”
Yet, the intrigue of a crossover contest is undeniable. While Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua both faced UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou in non-title bouts, none of those contests were for a world championship. Usyk versus Verhoeven, however, puts the prestigious WBC belt on the line, raising the stakes considerably. Fans and pundits alike are eager to see how Verhoeven’s legendary kickboxing skills translate in a pure boxing environment, especially against a technician of Usyk’s caliber.
Behind the scenes, the event is being organized by The Ring magazine and Sela, a Saudi events company, with The Ring owned by Saudi government official Turki Alalshikh. The business side of boxing is never far from the spotlight, and this show is no exception. A legal dispute is brewing, as British promoter Frank Warren is reportedly claiming $1 billion in lost income from Sela and combat-sports brand TKO, co-owners of the new promotion Zuffa Boxing. “It’s just a difference of opinion over the contracts that we signed, so that will just take its course. I can’t make any comment on it. It is what it is,” Warren told the BBC. Sela, for their part, have rejected the claims, stating, “We are disappointed by the unfounded claims brought by Queensberry and Frank Warren. We reject them in their entirety and are confident that the facts will fully vindicate our position.”
Meanwhile, the heavyweight division remains as lively as ever. Tyson Fury is set to emerge from his fifth retirement to face Arslanbek Makhmudov on April 11, 2026, at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. Should Fury prevail, a trilogy bout with Usyk could be on the horizon—a prospect that would electrify the sport. Fabio Wardley, on the other hand, will defend his newly acquired WBO title against Daniel Dubois on May 9, 2026, in Manchester, a fight that could shake up the rankings and set the stage for further unification showdowns.
For now, all eyes are on Egypt. The Pyramids of Giza have witnessed centuries of history, but never a night quite like this. Usyk, the masterful champion with an unblemished record, faces a challenge that’s as much about legacy as it is about belts. Verhoeven, the king of kickboxing, steps into the unknown, driven by hunger and the allure of greatness in a new arena. As the countdown begins, anticipation is building for a fight that’s sure to be one for the ages. Stay tuned—boxing history is about to be made under the Egyptian stars.