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- May 21, 2026
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CAIRO, EGYPT - MAY 19: Oleksandr Usyk and Rico Verhoeven Face Off for the the first time in fight week at "The Pyramids of Giza" ahead of their fight on Saturday night on May 19, 2026 in Cairo, Egypt. (Photo by Mark Robinson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Oleksandr Usyk will return later TODAY (Sat. May 23, 2026) to defend his WBC Heavyweight title against former pro kickboxing world champion, Rico Verhoeven, who will be taking part in just his second pro boxing match. The bout will go down at the Pyramids of Giza in Cairo, Egypt, and will be streaming live on DAZN pay-per-view (PPV). In the co-main event of the evening, Hamzah Sheeraz will face off against Alem Begic for the vacant WBO Super Middleweight title
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USYK VS. VERHOEVEN CHEAT SHEET
What boxing event is on tonight?“Usyk vs. Verhoeven”
Who is fighting at Usyk vs. Verhoeven: Oleksandr Usyk vs. Rico Verhoeven WBC Heavyweight title fight is the 12-round main event.
What time does Usyk vs. Verhoeven start? TONIGHT (Sat., May 23, 2026), with “Prelims” beginning at 11 a.m. ET on YouTube.
Where will Usyk vs. Verhoeven take place? Pyramids in Giza, Egypt.
How can I watch Usyk vs. Verhoeven? “Prelims” beginning at 11 a.m. ET on YouTube, with the main card starting at 1 p.m. ET on DAZN PPV.
How do I bet on Usyk vs. Verhoeven? Check out the latest lines at DraftKings.com.
Where can I get Usyk vs. Verhoeven updates and results? Get full Usyk vs. Verhoeven play-by-play updates and live coverage here!
Usyk (24-0, 15 KO) has pretty much cleared out the entire Heavyweight division. In fact, his last six title fights were all rematches defeating Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and Daniel Dubois two times each. The only two big men he has yet to face are WBA champion Murat Gassiev and WBC interim champion, Agit Kabayel. But instead of facing either of those men he has opted to take a different approach to face Verhoeven, a world champion kicker. Now, many will say this is a big mismatch on paper, and they are right, but when you are the undisputed king of the big men you can pretty much call your own shots. At 39 years of age there is no telling just how much longer “The Cat” plans to stay active, or if he’s planning to wait around another five years to face David Benavidez. That said, we can’t blame him for taking an unusual fight in order to cash in on a big payday, he’s earned it. But should he come up short by some miracle to Verhoeven, then the boxing world will be flipped on its head and his legacy could take a big hit.
Verhoeven only as one documented pro boxing match on his record, a second-round knockout victory over 12 years ago, But while the towering Dutch pugilist has limited pro boxing history, he has a bevy of combat experience in the striking department after making his name and earning his keep as a world class kickboxer under the K-1 and GLORY banners for two decades. During that time, he has amassed a stellar record of 66 wins and 10 losses to go along with 21 knockouts. He has amassed numerous world titles and taken out the likes of Badr Hari, Gokhan Saki and Peter Aerts, just to name a few. That said, boxing is an entirely different beast and, if we are being honest, it is going to take a clean performance — or one solid home run shot — to topple Usyk, as many world champion boxers have tried an failed on numerous occasions. Verhoeven turned down various offers from Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) to jump over to mixed martial arts (MMA), but opted to go the pro boxing route for a bigger payday. And who can blame him? After all, we have seen the big purses that come with bog money fights, so if it’s all about securing the bag, then so be it. Plus, staying away from the likes of Francis Ngannou is the smartest option according to this former MMA big man. In the end, we really don’t expect this fight to be all that competitive because Usyk is leaps and bounds above everyone else at the moment ,especially someone who has as little experience like Verhoeven. This is nothing more than a warmup fight for “The Cat’ to keep him busy for whatever may be next. But if Verhoeven pulls off some kind of miracle via a Herculean effort, than the Heavyweight division will have a new player on its hands.
How The ’Prelims’ Look:
Basem Mamdouh (10-2) will face off against Jamar Talley (6-0) in a Cruiserweight fight. Egypt’s Mamdouh is a battle-tested veteran, though most of his experience is local. He has four knockouts and comes in on a three-fight win streak. Talley, meanwhile, is a former USA Boxing standout with an undefeated record. Standing at 6’2″, he has athleticism, and amateur pedigree that makes him a threat, though this will be the biggest test of his career.
In another Cruiserweight affair, Mahmoud Mobark (0-0) will face off against Michael Kalyalya (3-4-1). Mobark is another local Egyptian fighter making his highly-anticipated professional debut in front of his hometown crowd. As for Kalyaya, he has decent experience but has struggled to pick up consistent wins, so it would be fair to call him a journeyman at this point in his career.
In keeping with the theme of local Egyptian fighters making their debuts, Omar Hikal (0-0) will face off against Ali Ssurankuma (2-3).Sserunkuma, brings pro experience and a respectable record and while he isn’t exactly “world class,” he should make for a good first test for Hikal.
Who Needs A Win Badly:
In Lightweight action 135, Sultan Al-Mohamed (3-0) will do battle against Dedy Imprax (2-4). Al-Mohamed is one of the most exciting young prospects in Saudi boxing at the moment and he is just 18 years old. He has two stoppages and serious power for the weight class, so everything he’s done so far has given indication he has the tools to become a problem. As for Imprax, he is currently on a four-fight losing streak — all via knockout — so he is in desperate need of a win here.
Interest Level: 8/10
The main event of the undercard pits rising British star Hamzah Sheeraz against a durable, experienced German veteran in Alem Bagic for the vacan WBO Super Middleweight title. Sheeraz was hoping to lock down a fight against Canelo Alvarez, but that ticket was given to Christian Mbilli. That said, Sheeraz can make a great case for himself if he wows once more like he did against Edgar Berlanga (see it here). Sheeraz is a powerful puncher with excellent size for the division and has been knocking out or dominating most of his opposition. This is his second world title opportunity after fighting to a draw against Carlos Adames for the WBC Middleweight title in early 2025. Begic, meanwhile, brings a long professional record but significantly less power and elite-level experience. He’s a big underdog here but has the chance to pull off one of the biggest upsets in recent memory to make everyone take notice of him.
In the third title fight, Jack Catterall will face off against Shakhram Giyasov for the WBO Welterweight title. A southpaw from England, Catteral is fresh off an eleventh-round knockout win over Ekow Essuman last November (see it here). He’s the more experienced than his foe, but Gisayov is undefeated at 16-0 and is a former Olympic silver medalist. He is taking a big step up in competition here. but without risk there is zero reward. This is a huge opportunity for him.
In Heavyweight action Frank Sanchez (25-1) will battle Richard Torrez Jr. (14-0) in what is sure-to-be a hard-hitting affair. This is also an IBF title eliminator fight, so there is a ton at stake here. Sanchez has 18 knockouts to his credit and is on the hunt for another title shot after dropping his WBC Continental Americas and WBO-NABO Heavyweight titles to Agit Kabayel in May 2024, the first and only loss of his career. As for Torres, the former Olympic silver medalist has gotten off to a blistering start to his pro career with 14 straight wins and 12 knockouts. along the way he captured the WBC-NABF and WBO-NABO Heavyweight titles.
Mizuki Hiruta (10-0) will defend her WBO Super Flyweight title against Mai Soliman (10-1). Hiruta is 10-0 with two knockouts and also has The Ring Super Flyweight title in her possession. As for Soliman, she is looking to shock the world as the local fighter coming in with 10 wins, six via knockout.
A light heavyweight matchup featuring undefeated Ukrainian Daniel Lapin against a lightly experienced opponent in Benjamin Mendes Tani. Lapin is the heavy favorite here as he is undefeated at 14-0 with five knockouts to his name. Tani, meanwhile, is 9-1 with two knockouts and is on the hunt for the huge upset in order to elevate his own stock and march his way toward top ranking and a title shot.
Enjoy the fights!
Full Usyk vs. VerhoevenFight Card:
Usyk vs. Verhoeven Main Event on DAZN PPV: 5:45 p.m ET
Heavyweight: Oleksandr Usyk (24-0) vs. Rico Verhoeven (1-0)
Usyk vs. Verhoeven Undercard on DAZN PPV: 1:00 p.m ET
168 lbs.: Hamzah Sheeraz (22-0) vs Alem Begic (29-0-1) for vacant WBO super middleweight title
147 lbs.: Jack Catterall (32-2) vs Shakhram Giyasov (16-0) for WBO welterweight title
Heavyweight: Frank Sanchez (25-1) vs Richard Torrez Jr. (14-0)
115 lbs.: Mizuki Hiruta (10-0) vs Mai Soliman (10-1) for WBO super flyweight title
175 lbs.: Daniel Lapin (13-0) vs. Benjamin Mendes Tani (9-1)
Usyk vs. Verhoeven Early ’Prelims’ on YouTube: 11:00 a.m ET
200 lbs.: Basem Mamdouh (10-2) vs Jamar Talley (6-0)
200 lbs.: Mahmoud Mobark (0-0) vs Michael Kalyalya (3-4-1)
147 lbs.: Omar Hikal (0-0) vs Ali Ssurunkuma (2-3)
135 lbs.: Sultan Al-Mohamed (3-0) vs. Dedy Imprax (2-4)
For more boxing news and notes click here.
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