Rico Verhoeven faces Oleksandr Usyk in Egypt as Frazer Clarke weighs in on crossover bout

Rico Verhoeven will step into a boxing ring against Oleksandr Usyk beneath the Egyptian pyramids this weekend, setting up a crossover clash that Olympic bronze medallist Frazer Clarke views with skepticism.

Clarke joined Steve Bunce on BBC Radio 5 Live to preview the heavyweight spectacle, reportedly questioning how a kickboxing world champion adapts against one of boxing's pound-for-pound greats. Verhoeven holds multiple kickboxing titles but has never faced a pure boxer of Usyk's caliber, who unified the cruiserweight division before claiming heavyweight gold.

Clarke reflects on Hrgovic-Allen and Huni defeat

The conversation also covered Dave Allen's recent loss to Filip Hrgovic, the Croatian contender who remains in the heavyweight mix despite his own setback against Daniel Dubois last year. Clarke gave an update on his own career trajectory following a narrow defeat to Australia's Justis Huni, per the BBC broadcast.

Usyk has not fought since his rematch victory over Tyson Fury in December, making the Verhoeven exhibition his first ring appearance of 2026. The bout is scheduled to take place outdoors at the Giza plateau, with the exact date and ruleset still being finalized by promoters.

Source: bbc.co.uk