Verhoeven backs size advantage to trouble Usyk despite boxing skill gap

Rico Verhoeven believes his natural weight and kickboxing background will pose problems for Oleksandr Usyk when the two meet. The heavyweight expects his power to offset the unified champion's technical edge.

“Usyk has pulled the puzzle of boxing out and put it back together, but I'm not a traditional boxer - I'm a kickboxer. My stance is different, my movement is different and I am a naturally big, athletic guy. When I hit him, he's going to feel a natural 20-kilo weight difference.”

— Rico Verhoeven, via BBC Sport

What Rico Verhoeven said

Verhoeven competes at 123 kg and has built his career in kickboxing, where stance and movement patterns differ from traditional boxing. Usyk holds unified heavyweight titles and is widely regarded as one of the sport's most skilled operators.

What it moves

Verhoeven's comments suggest he views the stylistic clash as his route to success. Whether a kickboxing base can disrupt Usyk's puzzle-solving approach remains the central question if the fight moves forward. Usyk has not yet responded to the challenge.

Source: bbc.com. Full Rico Verhoeven fight history and recent news at boxingnews.com.