Rico Verhoeven faces brutal reality as Usyk’s next fight plans leak
Oleksandr Usyk hasn’t even walked into the ring in Egypt yet, and the heavyweight division is already moving ahead without him.
That says plenty about how people expect May 23 to go.
The Ukrainian champion defends his WBC title against Rico Verhoeven beneath the Pyramids of Giza in one of the strangest modern boxing events anybody can remember. A kickboxing king crossing over. Saudi money everywhere. Cameras following every stare during fight week.
Still, inside boxing circles, another conversation has started picking up speed. Agit Kabayel’s name keeps coming up behind the scenes.
According to Ring Magazine, Turki Alalshikh wants to discuss a Usyk-Kabayel fight later this year if the champion handles business in Egypt.
Kabayel’s waiting game may finally be over
For years, Kabayel felt like the heavyweight contender people respected without fully talking about.
That changed in Riyadh.
The unbeaten German kept ruining dangerous opponents while louder names grabbed headlines elsewhere. Arslanbek Makhmudov got broken down. Frank Sanchez got stopped. Zhilei Zhang couldn’t handle the pressure. Damian Knyba followed the same path in Oberhausen last month.
The body attack stands out most when you watch him live. Kabayel doesn’t throw flashy combinations for crowd reactions. He keeps walking forward, keeps digging into the ribs, keeps making heavyweights breathe differently by the middle rounds.
After the Knyba stoppage, fans inside the arena started chanting Usyk’s name before Kabayel even grabbed the microphone.
“I have waited so long for this title shot,” he said afterward. “Give me the world title fight. I’m ready.”
Coverage of Kabayel’s recent rise through the division has exploded across FSI247’s boxing news section.
Usyk sounds different when Kabayel’s name comes up
A year ago, Tyson Fury still felt attached to every conversation surrounding Usyk. Now it feels less certain.
The champion turns 40 next year. He has openly talked about retirement. Not in a dramatic way either. More like someone who already knows the finish line is close.
Back in March, he surprisingly reopened the door to fighting Kabayel instead of completing a trilogy with Fury.
“Maybe I will fight Kabayel,” Usyk told the Daily Mail. “Maybe I don’t fight Tyson Fury again.”
People around ringside during the London press conference noticed something else too. Usyk smiled constantly while talking about Verhoeven, but his tone changed when Kabayel came up in conversation with reporters afterward. Shorter answers. More serious expression.
That usually means respect.
Usyk also called the German “very smart,” which is not praise he throws around casually.
Verhoeven still believes he can wreck everything
None of the future planning matters if Rico Verhoeven pulls off the upset in Egypt.
The Dutch star looked relaxed during the April media tour in London. No nervous energy. No feeling that he viewed himself as some crossover curiosity trying boxing for attention. He genuinely believes he belongs there.
At nearly 260 pounds with elite conditioning and years spent fighting under pressure, Verhoeven at least brings real physical problems into the ring. People dismissing him completely probably haven’t watched enough heavyweight combat sports.
You can read more about Verhoeven’s transition from kickboxing to boxing on FSI247’s combat sports coverage.
Still, Usyk remains one of the sharpest heavyweights of his era. The footwork. The angles. The calmness once punches start flying.
Kabayel will almost certainly be watching from Germany later this month. Probably very closely.
Ron
Ron Emmerink is founder of FSI247.com and former founder of Vechtsport Info, widely recognized for covering kickboxing, MMA, and combat sports. With nearly 20 years of experience, he built a reputation for objective journalism, expert analysis, and credible reporting, contributing to major Dutch media while authoring a respected book on kickboxing history.
