UNDISPUTED METRICS: ANALYZING USYK’S 24-0 RECORD AGAINST THE HEAVY-HITTING DUTCH "KING OF KICKBOXING."
Usyk vs Verhoeven is ON: Read why the WBC sanctioned this heavyweight title fight and get the May 23 Giza match details.
Oleksandr Usyk’s unexpected fight with kickboxing legend Rico Verhoeven is officially set to be for the WBC world heavyweight title.
Usyk, now 39, will put his iconic green and gold belt on the line when he faces the 36-year-old Dutch star in a massive crossover event in Giza, Egypt, on May 23.
No one really saw this coming, especially since Usyk is still unbeaten at 24-0, with 15 knockouts. Truth is, he’s run out of real challenges in the heavyweight division. After dominating as undisputed cruiserweight champion, he’s managed to repeat that feat at heavyweight, beating Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua twice each along the way.
People expected Usyk’s next fight to be against Deontay Wilder, who’s clearly past his prime. But the chance to step into the ring with Verhoeven, a huge name in kickboxing, was just too tempting. Verhoeven almost fought Joshua back in February, but that plan blew up after Joshua’s tragic car accident in Nigeria, which took the lives of two of his closest team members.
Even though Verhoeven has just one official boxing match, a knockout win over Janos Finfera back in 2014, the WBC agreed to put its title up for grabs in this matchup.
The WBC released a statement, saying, "After careful consideration, the WBC Board of Governors has decided to sanction Oleksandr Usyk’s voluntary title defence against legendary kickboxing champion Rico Verhoeven.
At our 63rd Annual Convention in Bangkok, we granted Usyk a voluntary defence. After that, we got a petition to approve Usyk vs Verhoeven as that defence.
Usyk’s been incredibly active, taking on and beating top fighters like Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury, and Daniel Dubois twice each while keeping his undefeated streak alive. That kind of run is unheard of in heavyweight boxing.
Rico’s been at the top level in kickboxing since 2005, and over nearly twenty years, he’s become one of the sport’s all-time greats. He’s headlined massive stadium shows, fighting in front of 30,000, sometimes 40,000 fans. At 36, he’s fought 76 times professionally and just recently gave up the Glory Kickboxing Heavyweight title after staying unbeaten for 11 years.
Switching from kickboxing to boxing isn’t new. Plenty of Muay Thai fighters have moved to boxing and fought for WBC titles early on. This decision sticks to our rules and regulations.”
WHY NATE DIAZ SIGNED WITH JAKE PAUL’S MVP FOR MMA RETURN
Nate Diaz signs with Jake Paul’s MVP to face Mike Perry in an MMA return on the Rousey vs Carano Netflix card.
Nate Diaz is set to join the impressive undercard for the upcoming Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano bout. The UFC veteran has recently signed with Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) and will take on Mike Perry at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles on May 16.
Diaz hasn’t stepped into the MMA cage since he submitted Tony Ferguson at UFC 279 back in 2022. After that, he tried his hand at boxing, debuting in the ring a year later, where he lost a points decision to Jake Paul. However, he bounced back in his next boxing match by securing a win against Jorge Masvidal.
There had been buzz about a potential fight between Diaz and Conor McGregor for McGregor’s UFC return, but those plans seem to have fallen through. Their history is well-known; they split victories in 2016, with Diaz dealing McGregor his first UFC loss. Many fans were hoping for a trilogy match, possibly headlining the promotion’s historic White House card.
Now Diaz is gearing up to face Perry at welterweight, following unified MMA rules over five rounds. He’ll be sharing the card with notable names like Francis Ngannou, who recently parted ways with PFL and is scheduled to fight Philipe Lins in the co-main event.
Diaz expressed his excitement about the return, saying, “Glad to be back in action." It’s time. Don’t forget where this all came from. I’ve got plans to keep going for the next decade, wherever it takes me. Time to set the bar again; get ready for a new takeover, again and again.”
He’s been hinting at this comeback for months and even called out Perry as part of a three-fight target list earlier this year. Diaz has openly admitted he has unfinished business in combat sports, aiming to capture gold before he retires.
His signing with MVP raises questions among MMA fans about whether the UFC had discussions with him beforehand, similar to what we saw with Rousey. She revealed she had talks with UFC CEO Dana White before announcing her Netflix fight against Carano, though she later criticised the UFC as a shadow of its former self, saying it no longer delivers the best fights.
While Diaz is undoubtedly the bigger name, Perry brings his own intensity to the card. Known as 'Platinum', Perry had a stint in McGregor’s Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship after leaving the UFC in 2021. He, too, has boxed and lost to Jake Paul before making a comeback to combat sports with a win over Jeremy Stephens at BKFC 82 last October.
Perry isn’t holding back, stating, “The King of Violence returns to MMA to elbow his opponent in the face.” The fight is set to be streamed on Netflix, with Perry promising Diaz will go “lights out” on May 16.
Nakisa Bidarian, MVP’s CEO, commented on the event’s massive potential, highlighting their record-breaking boxing viewership and expecting to smash those records again with this MMA card. He emphasised the matchup intensity, calling Diaz “the Real BMF” and Perry “the King of Violence", promising a battle from the first press conference through to the final bell.
This event in Los Angeles looks to be one of the biggest nights in combat sports, and Netflix’s involvement signals a bright future for MMA’s growth. More bouts for the card are expected to be announced soon, so keep an eye out for updates as the date approaches.
WHY FRANK WARREN BELIEVES RYAN GARNER IS READY FOR ELITE GOLD
Frank Warren declares Ryan Garner ready for a world title after a dominant third-round TKO win over Cristian Bielma.
Boxing promoter Frank Warren says super-featherweight Ryan Garner is just about ready to fight for a world title.
On Saturday night in Dublin, “The Piranha” made quick work of Cristian Bielma, stopping his Mexican opponent in the third round at 3Arena. Warren was clearly impressed by Garner’s performance, especially the way he handled every round.
“He did everything we asked of him tonight,” Warren said. “He was sharp, and when he needed to turn it up, he did it in style. He’s right there on the edge of a world title fight, and he’s definitely good enough to win one.”
Bielma never really challenged Garner. The Southampton native landed clean, heavy shots right from the start, leaving Bielma marked up early on. By the third, Garner had Bielma backed into a corner, piling on accurate punches until the referee stepped in to call it off.
Garner’s been dreaming about headlining a show in his hometown, Southampton, at St Mary’s Stadium. After a night like this, that dream feels within reach.
During fight week, rumours swirled that Garner could face the winner of Saturday’s main event this summer. But after Anthony Cacace beat James Dickens to claim the WBA super-featherweight title, Cacace made it clear he’s aiming higher.
“All respect to Ryan Garner, he’s a great up-and-comer,” Cacace said after his win. “But I’m after bigger names now. I want to unify the division. Emanuel Navarrete next, Saudi Arabia, wherever I am, I’ll be there.”
Navarrete currently holds the IBF and WBO super-featherweight titles.
Even though Cacace seems headed in another direction, Frank Warren is still confident Garner will get his shot soon.
“We’ll see how it all shakes out. Every fighter wants to unify belts, I get that,” Warren said. “But Ryan will fight for a world title. We’re planning a show in the south this summer; that’s what we’re aiming for. There are a few different options, but whatever happens, it’s going to be a big fight. Hopefully, it’s a world title fight.”
And about St Mary’s Stadium in Southampton? Warren didn’t hesitate: “Yep, that’s exactly what we want.”
