Live updates are being provided for the Usyk vs. Rico event, covering both the undercard fights and the main event between the two champions.
Live coverage is underway for the Usyk vs. Verhoeven event on May 23, 2026, with updates rolling in across both the undercard bouts and the highly anticipated main event clash between two of combat sports' most decorated champions.
Oleksandr Usyk, known as "The Cat," enters the contest carrying a flawless 24-0 record. The 39-year-old Ukrainian southpaw stands six-foot-three with a 78-inch reach and trains out of the Ready To Fight camp. A former undisputed heavyweight boxing world champion, Usyk brings elite technical skill and composed pressure fighting to every contest he enters.
Across the ring stands Rico Verhoeven, the Dutch heavyweight nicknamed "The King of Kickboxing," who carries an imposing 66-10 record built across a dominant career in the striking arts. The 37-year-old orthodox fighter out of Superpro Sportcenter measures six-foot-five with a 79-inch reach, giving him a slight physical edge in both height and range over Usyk.
Why it matters
- The matchup pits two undefeated or elite-level champions from different striking disciplines against one another, making it a rare crossover spectacle.
- Usyk's southpaw boxing precision contrasts sharply with Verhoeven's longer, kickboxing-based arsenal, creating a compelling style clash.
- At 196 cm and 201 cm of reach respectively, Verhoeven holds marginal physical advantages that could prove meaningful at range.
- Both fighters are in the latter stages of elite careers, lending the contest genuine significance beyond a promotional novelty.
