At a press conference in London, world heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk (pictured) made it clear that his upcoming bout against kickboxing legend Rico Verhoeven is an act of personal will. At an event organized by Matchroom Boxing, the boxers stood face-to-face for two plus minutes, ahead of their clash scheduled for May 23rd at the Pyramids of Giza, Egypt. Addressing criticism regarding the apparent mismatch of a champion fighting someone who is 1-0 as a boxer, Usyk responded with a serenity that struck those in attendance: “For once, I want to do what I want, not what I need,” the Ukrainian declared. “Many times I do what other people need… now I do what I need. For me, it is a challenge.”

 

Usyk, who has cleared out the division by defeating Daniel Dubois, Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, downplayed external pressure, asserting that his love for life transcends the ring and that this event in Egypt is a gift to himself after years of a grueling career.

 

Arriving in London, Verhoeven insisted he is no mere bystander. Aware of the difference in boxing technique, Verhoeven is counting on sheer unpredictability and his physical advantage:“I am going to bring kickboxing angles that Usyk does not know. If I connect cleanly, he will go down. He is a cruiserweight moved up to heavyweight, and there is a 20-kilogram weight difference in my favor.”

 

Promoter Eddie Hearn and trainer Peter Fury agreed on the magnitude of the ascent event, describing it as an “absolute spectacle” and a “fantasy come true.” The conference concluded with a tense and prolonged face-off between both fighters. On May 23rd, the boxing world will pause to see if the will of a genius is enough to stop the force of nature represented by Verhoeven.