Oleksandr Usyk-Rico Verhoeven: Preview and prediction

Oleksandr Usyk will stop Rico Verhoeven when the two meet at the Pyramids of Giza on Friday, according to a Boxing Scene preview of the heavyweight exhibition. The matchup pits the undefeated world champion, 24-0 with 15 knockouts, against a Dutch kickboxer making just his second professional boxing appearance.

Boxing Scene characterizes the bout as a significant mismatch despite the Egyptian backdrop. Verhoeven holds a 1-0 record in boxing, with his lone fight coming 12 years ago. The 37-year-old has dominated kickboxing since 2015 but managed stoppages in only 16 of his 64 recorded bouts in that discipline, most of them by kicks rather than punches.

Why Usyk holds every advantage over Verhoeven

Usyk's résumé as a former undisputed cruiserweight champion and current heavyweight titleholder gives him a crushing edge in experience and craft. Boxing Scene notes that even Usyk's closest heavyweight rivals would struggle against him, making the kickboxer's chances remote. Verhoeven trains under Peter Fury and reportedly brings confidence from his kickboxing dominance, but without the option to use leg strikes, his path to competitiveness narrows to almost nothing.

The piece draws parallels to past crossover fights that failed to deliver, including Conor McGregor facing Floyd Mayweather and Francis Ngannou losing badly to Anthony Joshua. Usyk, unlike Tyson Fury in his Ngannou bout, is expected to arrive fully prepared and treat the kickboxer as a legitimate threat. Boxing Scene predicts the stoppage will come around the halfway point of the scheduled 12 rounds.

The bout takes place Friday at the Pyramids of Giza, with no rematch clause or title implications attached.

Source: boxingscene.com