Verhoeven defends WBC title shot: 'I did what Usyk did for 12 years'

Rico Verhoeven has defended his WBC heavyweight title shot against Oleksandr Usyk, arguing his kickboxing dominance mirrors the Ukrainian's boxing achievements. The Dutchman told BBC Sport his credentials have been recognised by the sanctioning body.

“Like what Oleksandr did within boxing, I did within kickboxing for 12 years. Defeat everybody and some people multiple times. The WBC is also the only organisation that looks at kickboxing and Muay Thai. So for them, they recognised and gave me my credentials.”

— Rico Verhoeven, via BBC Sport

What Rico Verhoeven said

Verhoeven holds a WBC bridgerweight title after the organisation awarded him a belt for his kickboxing record. The 123 kg fighter is now pursuing a crossover bout with Usyk, drawing criticism from traditional boxing observers who question his lack of professional boxing experience. The WBC remains the only major sanctioning body to recognise fighters from kickboxing and Muay Thai disciplines.

What it moves

Verhoeven's comparison will likely intensify debate over crossover bouts in heavyweight boxing. The WBC has not announced whether the Usyk fight will be sanctioned as a title defence or an exhibition. Usyk has not publicly addressed the challenge since Verhoeven's campaign began gaining attention in recent weeks.

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