Oleksandr Usyk will step back into the ring for the first time in nearly 12 months this week when he takes on Rico Verhoeven in Egypt. The Ukrainian heavyweight king will go head-to-head with the Dutch kickboxing legend in a spectacular clash at the Pyramids of Giza, with fans able to purchase the fight here.
It's safe to say Usyk (24-0, 15 KOs) will hold the upper hand going into the contest, as the unified heavyweight champion of the world meets a kickboxer with only one professional boxing bout to his name. It represents Usyk's first fight since July 2025, when he knocked out Daniel Dubois to become a two-time world heavyweight king.
Verhoeven (1-0, 1 KO) is considered one of kickboxing's greatest ever competitors, boasting a record of 66-10 in the discipline. His sole outing in the boxing ring came all the way back in 2014, so a win on Saturday would represent one of the sport's biggest shocks and would deliver him the WBC belt.
At April's press conference in London, Verhoeven told DAZN he possesses what's needed to floor Usyk. He said: "When I land my best punch on him, of course, he will go down because it's a 20-kilo weight difference. It's like a built-up cruiserweight. I'm a naturally born heavyweight. So that's a big difference. That's what's going to happen if I land my best shot clean."
Usually, boxing fans must buy access to the Usyk vs Rico fight on DAZN pay-per-view, but the streamer offers another way to watch the fight at no extra cost with a new deal.
When is Oleksandr Usyk vs Rico Verhoeven?
Oleksandr Usyk vs Rico Verhoeven takes place on Saturday, 23 May, with live coverage getting under way at 6pm BST. Both Usyk and Rico are expected to make their ringwalks at approximately 10.48pm BST.
How to watch Oleksandr Usyk vs Rico Verhoeven
Oleksandr Usyk vs Rico Verhoeven will be broadcast live on DAZN, with fans able to order the PPV for a one-off payment of £27.99. However, the streamer is dishing out the PPV at no extra cost with its new DAZN Ultimate subscription, which provides access to at least 12 PPVs each year, such as Anthony Joshua vs Kristian Prenga (July 25).
This premium package also includes at least 185 fight nights per year from top promoters such as Queensbury, Matchoom and Misfits. All of this is currently available at a reduced price of £22.99 (down from £24.99) on a monthly basis, with the option to save £25.89 by paying annually upfront at £249.99.
DAZN claims that Ultimate members can save up to £320 per year compared to the price of purchasing 12 separate PPVs. There is a caveat to DAZN Ultimate, though, as subscribers must commit to a 12-month contract to secure the deal.
DAZN holds the exclusive broadcast rights to Usyk vs Rico, so it won't be shown on rival channels like Sky Sports. Alternatively, Amazon customers can stream the fight on DAZN's Prime Video channel.
Full Oleksandr Usyk vs Rico Verhoeven fight card
- Oleksandr Usyk vs Rico Verhoeven (heavyweight)
- Hamzah Sheeraz vs Alem Begic (super-middleweight)
- Jack Catterall vs Shakhram Giyasov (welterweight)
- Frank Sanchez vs Richard Torrez Jr. (heavyweight)
- Mizuki Hiruta vs Mai Soliman (super-flyweight)
- Daniel Lapin vs Benjamin Mendes Tani (light-heavyweight)
