Oleksandr Usyk’s upcoming showdown with Rico Verhoeven will not carry any of his recognized heavyweight titles, despite early billing suggesting otherwise.
It was confirmed that none of Usyk’s alphabet belts will be on the line for the May 23 bout at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt. WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman clarified that the contest will instead be classified as a “WBC special event,” with the sanctioning body creating a ceremonial belt inspired by the Egyptian setting.
“The WBC fully supports this crossover fight,” Sulaiman said. “It will be a ‘WBC special event’ and we will create an unbelievable belt featuring the elements of the pyramids of Egypt.”
Usyk, the recognized lineal, Ring, WBA, WBC and IBF heavyweight champion, will face Dutch kickboxing legend Verhoeven in what marks only the latter’s second professional boxing match. The situation mirrors Tyson Fury’s 2023 crossover bout with Francis Ngannou, which was supported but not sanctioned as a title defense by the WBC.
Sulaiman pointed to Fury-Ngannou, a bout that saw Ngannou drop Fury en route to a split decision loss, as proof that such crossovers can prove competitive. “The WBC supported Fury vs. [Ngannou], which turned out to be very competitive,” he noted, adding that the organization has “full respect” for Verhoeven’s achievements in kickboxing.
While criticism has surfaced over Usyk taking on a crossover opponent, interim WBC titleholder Agit Kabayel remains in position for a future consolidation bout. Discussions are reportedly ongoing to align Kabayel’s next appearance around the same timeframe so that he and Usyk can move directly toward a title clash after the Giza event.