Verhoeven banks on kickboxing background to trouble Usyk

Rico Verhoeven believes his kickboxing pedigree will pose unique problems for Oleksandr Usyk when the pair meet. The heavyweight contends his stance and natural size give him advantages the Ukrainian has not faced before.

“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 brings a striking background from kickboxing into boxing. Usyk rose through cruiserweight before claiming heavyweight titles. The topic of their potential meeting has emerged as Verhoeven pursues crossover opportunities in the ring.

What it moves

Verhoeven is staking his case on attributes outside traditional boxing technique. His pitch centres on the weight gap and movement patterns that differ from orthodox opponents. Whether that translates against a fighter who solved the heavyweight puzzle remains the question his team must answer in training camp.

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