US EditionUsyk defends decision to fight kickboxer Verhoeven
- On Tuesday, Oleksandr Usyk announced a voluntary WBC heavyweight title defense against Dutch kickboxer Rico Verhoeven in a 12-round bout on May 23 at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt.
- The unexpected opportunity arose after a fatal car crash involving Anthony Joshua late last year, which claimed the lives of two teammates and derailed a planned bout between Verhoeven and Joshua.
- Defending the choice to fight a 'novice,' Usyk noted the 6-foot-5, 265-pound Verhoeven is a 'dangerous guy.' The challenger presents a different puzzle for the under 230 lbs champion.
- Hollywood actor Jason Statham helped initiate this opportunity, Verhoeven claimed. Trainer Peter Fury noted Verhoeven was offered 'a lot more money in other sports' before committing to the boxing challenge.
- Joshua recently told Netflix that 'contracts will be sent over' regarding a potential matchup with Tyson Fury, while promoter Eddie Hearn remains optimistic about finalizing a fight later this year.
29 Articles
29 Articles
Usyk defends decision to fight kickboxer Verhoeven
April 15 : World heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk said he should be allowed to do what he wants for once following criticism of his decision to put his WBC title on the line against Dutch kickboxer Rico Verhoeven.Usyk, who has not boxed since beating Britain's Daniel Dubois at London's Wembley Stadium las
Associated Press News
Usyk calls kickboxer Verhoeven a dangerous opponent and predicts Joshua would beat Fury
Oleksandr Usyk has offered an explanation for why he’s giving kickboxing star Rico Verhoeven a shot at his WBC heavyweight title.
The champion's image at the press conference became a separate topic: Usyk kept his hat on until the very end. The official media campaign for the high-profile fight between champion Oleksandr Usyk and kickboxing star Rico Verhoeven has kicked off in the UK capital. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing a broadcast of the press conference. Read also: The verdict is in: The Ring officially changes Fury's status after the London fight First mee…
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