Kickboxing champion backs Rico Verhoeven to surprise boxing fans in Oleksandr Usyk bout
· Yahoo Sports
On May 23, Rico Verhoeven will take on Oleksandr Usyk in a fight that has been labelled by many as a mismatch.
Despite having an MMA offer on the table, Verhoeven chose to face the current unified heavyweight champion instead.
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Verhoeven is taking on the fight with just one professional boxing match under his belt. So, it’s no surprise that many are quick to dismiss the kickboxing legend’s chances of pulling off an upset against one of this generation’s best fighters.
But it’s not just Tom Aspinall backing Verhoeven. There are others out there who think the Dutchman deserves more credit than he’s getting ahead of this matchup.
Rico Verhoeven’s physical and mental strengths ahead of Oleksandr Usyk fight, as highlighted by Donovan Wisse
Photo by MAURICE VAN STEEN/ANP/AFP via Getty ImagesAfter going unbeaten for 11 years, Rico Verhoeven walked away from his GLORY heavyweight title last year.
Speaking with Bloody Elbow, Wisse gave his thoughts on what makes Verhoeven a real threat in the boxing ring.
Wisse, who has established himself as one of the best strikers in the world ahead of his return to face Chico Kwasi on April 25 at GLORY 107, also praised Verhoeven for being an elite athlete.
“I think he’s got the mentality. He’s got the work ethic. He’s got the footwork. He’s got the team, especially. I also think it was his dream to box… He’s got a pretty good chance because I know kickboxers train really hard just for five rounds and that’s because we are kicking too. This is only boxing, only hands, so if he takes that mentality into the boxing ring and a boxing training camp, he’s going to be a beast.”
Wisse also spoke about another attribute that Verhoeven brings to the table in this fight that he can relate to.
The Dutch heavyweight hasn’t lost in over a decade which will give him plenty of self-belief heading into this contest.
An example highlighted by Wisse was when Verhoeven was able to find victory against Jamal Ben Saddik back in 2021 after suffering a deep cut as well as being knocked down early in round two.
“He knows what winning is because he can dig deep and he has proven it time and time again,” said Wisse. “When he was busted up in the kickboxing ring, he knocked Ben Saddik out in round four. Rico is a dangerous guy… I think he’s going to surprise everyone.”
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