Unified heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk is determined to make significant “noise” before concluding a career that has cemented his status as one of boxing’s most dominant figures, a drive that will see him face a champion kickboxer in an unusual spectacle this month.
The Ukrainian pugilist is set to meet Rico Verhoeven in Egypt on 23 May, a bout that underscores his willingness to embrace unconventional challenges.
While Usyk embraces such high-profile crossover fights, one particular celebrity boxing match remains off the table. Despite the growing trend of boxers engaging with influencer-turned-prizefighters, Usyk has ruled out a clash with YouTube star Jake Paul.
“I don’t know because Jake (is) my friend now,” Usyk told The Associated Press. “With Jake (a) fight is not possible, I think.”
Usyk, however, is not dismissive of the broader phenomenon of boxers taking on lucrative and often unusual opponents from different sports.
Jake Paul, right, was knocked out by Anthony Joshua in December (JC Ruiz/PA) (PA Media)
Jake Paul and his brother Logan, who rose to fame as YouTubers, have notably fought legendary boxers like Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather. Mayweather also previously stepped into the ring with UFC champion Conor McGregor and kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa.
The appeal of these contests was starkly illustrated in December when Jake Paul faced Anthony Joshua, a two-time heavyweight champion.
Joshua, still competing at the sport’s elite level at 36, knocked Paul out in six rounds, with Paul later revealing his jaw was broken in two places. Usyk understands the draw of such events, even if they attract criticism from boxing purists.
“It’s a media fight aimed at drawing even more people into professional boxing and combat sports in general. You know how it was when we were kids watching movies. ‘Who’s stronger, (Jean-Claude) Van Damme or Chuck Norris? Or (Sylvester) Stallone, or someone else?’” he explained.
“Everything that happens in today’s world is a show, it’s all like a movie. And we are simply actors in that movie.”
The undefeated Usyk, 39, boasts a formidable record of 24-0 with 15 knockouts and is nearing the end of his career. He plans three more fights, culminating in a “last dance” against Tyson Fury, whom he has already defeated twice.
Before that, however, comes the title defence against Rico Verhoeven at the Pyramids of Giza. Verhoeven, 37, is a champion kickboxer from the Netherlands with a kickboxing record of 66-10 (21 KOs), but has only one professional boxing match to his name, which he won in 2014.
Usyk describes the upcoming bout as another “very good media fight”, even as he defends his decision to face a boxing novice rather than leading contenders for his belts.
“Rico is the absolute world champion in kickboxing and I am in boxing. For the fans, that’s not bad,” Usyk stated. “Most people don’t really understand professional sports. They just watch the picture, and people want bread and circuses.
Usyk facing off with kickboxing icon Rico Verhoeven (Getty)
“We, in turn, went through a certain period of conquering and achieving results. Now we’ll make some noise for a while and then return to specifically boxing opponents because there is a certain plan that we are building for ourselves.”
Despite many viewing the fight as a mismatch, Usyk insists his preparations are as rigorous as ever, incorporating cognitive training techniques to sharpen his skills.
According to the British Psychological Society, cognitive training involves treating the brain like a muscle, exercising it through methods like games or problem-solving. Usyk believes this speeds up his decision-making in the ring. “Boxing is not chess — you have to think quickly in there,” he said.
He has also taken on a role as chief discipline officer for the language learning app Promova, integrating it into his training regime.
“For example, someone says a word to me in Ukrainian and I have to answer in English, or he says something in English and I have to translate it. All of this keeps intensifying, and your head feels like it’s exploding,” he revealed.
With such intense mental preparation, stepping into the ring offers a unique form of relief.
“In the ring, when I’m boxing, for me, that’s where I’m really ecstatic,” Usyk concluded. “I don’t like training. I don’t like doing this incredible work every single day. But I know it will simply help me perform better in the ring.”
