Today, May 23, 2026, professional boxing undergoes another transition toward the performative. At the Pyramids of Giza, Egypt, WBC heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk faces Rico Verhoeven, a long-standing titan of kickboxing.
The main event ring walks are projected for 5:48 PM ET. The contest is distributed via DAZN Pay-Per-View and the platform's 'Ultimate Tier' subscription.
Fight Logistics & Timing
The event schedule is structured to accommodate a global audience, beginning with preliminary bouts at 11:00 AM ET. The main card transitions through several divisional clashes before the headliners appear.
| Segment | Expected Start (ET) |
|---|---|
| Preliminary Undercard | 11:00 AM |
| Main Card Begins | 1:00 PM |
| Main Event Ring Walks | 5:48 PM |
The Undercard Composition
The event functions as a multi-bout showcase. Notable matches include:
Hamzah Sheeraz vs. Alem Begic: Vacant WBO super-middleweight title.
Jack Catterall vs. Shakhram Giyasov: Vacant secondary WBA welterweight title.
Frank Sanchez vs. Richard Torrez Jr: IBF heavyweight final eliminator.
Mizuki Hiruta vs. Mai Soliman: WBO women’s super-flyweight title.
Context: The Crossover Motif
The fight aligns with a modern trend of staging high-profile 'crossover' bouts—contests where champions from distinct combat disciplines meet in a boxing ring. While Usyk remains the undisputed king of boxing's heavyweight class following recent wins against Tyson Fury and Daniel Dubois, observers describe this meeting with Verhoeven—the dominant GLORY heavyweight kickboxer for over a decade—as a spectacle event.
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The utility of these bouts is often debated by purists, yet they remain central to the current commercial model of heavy-weight boxing. The result is officially sanctioned for the WBC title, though questions regarding the competitive balance persist as the sport prioritizes entertainment value alongside traditional athletic championship structures.
