Dmitry Bivol explained that Oleksandr Usyk's difficulty against Rico Verhoeven was due to Verhoeven's unorthodox style, comparing it to sparring with an awkward opponent whose movements are unpredictable. Bivol noted that Verhoeven came into boxing with basic skills but created problems for the university-level Usyk. Despite the challenging fight, Bivol ranks Usyk alongside Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis, and Evander Holyfield as greats of their respective eras, citing Usyk's undisputed super heavyweight status.
Light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol has offered his analysis of why Oleksandr Usyk found Rico Verhoeven a difficult opponent, while still placing the Ukrainian southpaw among the all-time greats of the heavyweight division.
Usyk, 39, enters the conversation as one of boxing's most decorated figures. The Ukrainian carries a flawless 24-0 record and achieved undisputed super heavyweight status, a feat Bivol cited as the foundation for ranking him alongside Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis, and Evander Holyfield as defining champions of their respective eras. Standing six-foot-three with a 78-inch reach, the southpaw from Ukraine has long been regarded as one of the sport's most technically refined competitors.
Verhoeven, the Dutch kickboxing star nicknamed "The King of Kickboxing," brought a 66-10 professional record into his boxing crossover. The six-foot-five, 37-year-old orthodox fighter carries a 79-inch reach and made his name in combat sports through a completely different discipline. Bivol explained that Verhoeven arrived in boxing with only fundamental skills, yet his unconventional movement and unpredictable patterns created genuine problems for someone of Usyk's caliber.
Bivol framed it as a familiar dynamic — comparing the experience to sparring with an awkward, unorthodox partner whose mechanics simply do not follow the patterns a trained boxer expects. In that context, even a university-level technician like Usyk can be disrupted by someone operating entirely outside the conventional framework.
Why it matters
- Usyk's undefeated 24-0 record and undisputed status make any signs of vulnerability a talking point across the heavyweight landscape
- Verhoeven's crossover performance demonstrates that elite kickboxers can create stylistic problems even for elite boxers
- Bivol's assessment, placing Usyk among the sport's historical greats despite the difficult fight, reinforces the Ukrainian's standing at the top of the division
