Can Verhoeven Upset Usyk?

Oleksandr Usyk has forged a reputation as arguably the greatest 'road warrior' in boxing history. Throughout his unforgettable journey to undisputed cruiserweight champion and then into the heavyweight ranks, Usyk has always been willing to travel for the sport's most significant fights.

And on Saturday night, the 'Usyk show' makes its most captivating stop yet, as he defends his world heavyweight title against the backdrop of the ancient pyramids of Giza, Egypt, at The Ring's 'Glory in Giza' gala. But this is no ordinary bout, as Usyk steps outside the usual roster of heavyweight contenders to face the 'King of Kickboxing,' Rico Verhoeven – a man who has been equally dominant in his own discipline.

The Dutchman has one professional boxing match on his record – a second-round knockout of Janos Finfera in April 2014. However, he then dedicated himself entirely to kickboxing and has been undefeated for 11 years. Despite this impressive record, very few are giving him a chance in a boxing match, with The Ring and WBC titles on the line, against one of the greatest heavyweights of all time. But right next to the ancient city of Cairo, could the 37-year-old Verhoeven pull off an upset for the ages?

"Listen, he only has one boxing match, but in kickboxing, he's been undefeated for many years and has a lot of fighting experience, to say the least," Usyk said. "You can never know everything about your opponent, even when they have many boxing matches. There's always something new. For me, this is a real fight. I prepared for it just as I prepare for every serious match."

"My strength is that I'm different," Verhoeven stated. "I think he has dissected boxing to another level. So he knows exactly – if you do this, then that follows. But I'm a kickboxer, and I think that will be the biggest difference. Especially with the weight difference – once I find him, yes, he will feel it. There will be at least a 20 kg difference. I fully understand the whole situation and the dynamic we are in. He's like the unbeatable man. What an opportunity I have to show that he's not so unbeatable after all."

The card features huge matchups in what is arguably the best undercard of the year. In the super middleweight division, Hamzah Sheeraz and Alem Begic will battle for the vacant WBO title, last held by Terence Crawford.

Jack Catterall faces the undefeated Shahram Giyasov for a chance to propel himself towards even bigger fights in the 147-pound division.

The Ring's 2025 'Female Fighter of the Year' Mizuki Hiruta will defend her Ring and WBO super-flyweight titles against Egyptian-born challenger Mai Soliman, who is on a nine-fight winning streak.

And while the heavyweight crown will be on the line in the main event, contenders Richard Torrez Jr. and Frank Sanchez will clash in a 12-round bout that will determine who takes the next step towards their own world title shot.