Can Rico Verhoeven pull off the biggest shock in boxing history?

The man himself talks Jason Statham and transitioning from kickboxing to boxing.

Kal Sajad
BBC Sport boxing journalist

When Anthony Joshua fought Jake Paul in December, every round that passed felt like a small victory for the American.

This feels slightly different.

There’s a sense Oleksandr Usyk may spend a round or two figuring Rico Verhoeven out and enjoying the occasion before stepping things up. Maybe even longer.

But the overwhelming feeling is that Usyk decides when and how this fight ends.

The man who by all accounts put this fight together, Jason Statham, is at ringside.

He is a friend of Rico Verhoeven and was the person who first pitched the Dutchman to boxing's powerbrokers in Saudi Arabia.

Statham originally had Verhoeven in against Anthony Joshua, but when that fight fell through, attention turned to the impossible job - Oleksandr Usyk.

Image source, Matchroom

Eddie Hearn
Matchroom promoter on BBC Radio 5 Live

I just spoke to the guys at DAZN and the numbers are pumping in Holland, where Rico is a massive sports star.

He is trying to do the impossible. I don't see it, but this is the one division where these guys do have the equaliser.

Everyone talks about how hard this guy hits, and I was behind him at the weigh-in and he has massive, massive legs. I am looking at those thinking they are going to be in trouble against Oleksandr Usyk because you're going to be in quicksand. He is going to drain you of every bit of energy and he is going to be exhausted after three or four rounds. In fact, I think if Usyk goes at a fast pace, I'd be astonished if this fight went three or four rounds.

Richie Woodhall
Former boxing world champion on BBC Radio 5 Live

I think Rico Verhoeven will be very dangerous early on and if he is to get a victory, it has to be early on. He doesn't know what it's like to go 12 rounds in a contest of this magnitude.

So, we have absolutely no idea what the delay is right now. It feels like Hamzah Sheeraz left the ring days ago, but Oleksandr Usyk and Rico Verhoeven are not on their way down the ramp just yet.

Stick with us!

Tony Bellew
Retired world champion to BBC Sport

I'm going for Usyk by stoppage in round six.

Steve Bunce
Boxing expert on BBC Radio 5 Live

Hamzah Sheeraz will be a star. Why do you think he has been featured on 5 Live Boxing so many times in the last four years? Even when he was still doing eight round fights, way before fights of any importance.

I could see his crossover appeal. We saw him in the ring there with half a Union Jack flag and half a Pakistan flag. The guy has got a foot all over; he is a good looking kid, he wears all of the fancy clobber, he is a mad Arsenal fan, he has his Mum ringside for him and he is a power player in the Muslim community in East London as well as a power player in boxing.

Have you ever had anyone have a bad word to say about Hamzah Sheeraz? In boxing that is unique.

Image source, Matchroom boxing

Lewis Williams
Heavyweight speaking to BBC Sport

From what I witnessed in sparring, and what he has done in the past, I don't see the fight going the distance at all. I would say a few rounds of adjustment and a bit of pressure for the next few.

I could see it going to six rounds tops. He is too accurate and too smart to play around. I think he can take his time and calculate what he is doing, and then pull the trigger.

Oleksandr Usyk defends his fight with Rico Verhoeven, saying it's not fake.

He also talks Anthony Joshua, being undefeated for close to 17 years and reveals his "secrets" in camp.

Enjoy!

You're all probably wondering how Rico Verhoeven has ended up in this position after just one professional boxing match. Well, here's how...

It began when Verhoeven bumped into Jason Statham - a close ally of Saudi boxing powerbroker Turki Alalshikh - in Las Vegas in September 2024, during the Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez v Terence Crawford fight week.

Verhoeven was originally set to face Anthony Joshua but, when his career was stalled by a serious car accident in November, a fight with Oleksandr Usyk emerged.

Image source, Getty Images

Richie Woodhall
Former boxing world champion on BBC Radio 5 Live

Sheeraz has got his feet on the ground. What I liked about his interview is that he didn't glorify the victory, he knew what he had to do and did it, in devastating fashion.

At 26 he is still a youngster. The sky is the limit. Canelo is probably the ulimate goal and that is 100 percent realistic business. Canelo isn't the young goat; he is getting on now and I think everyone would agree that the end is near. We are seeing a decline in his performances - even though he is still brilliant - but there is decline. Is that realistic for Sheeraz? 100 percent.

Image source, Getty Images

Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez. Anthony Joshua. Eddie Hearn.

Three big names in boxing are enjoying some ringside viewing.

Image source, Matchroom

Oleksandr Usyk has a seriously impressive resume and here are a few of his biggest wins at heavyweight.

Image source, Getty Images

Last time out for Usyk was maybe his most imperious of displays in the heavyweight division.

He travelled to London to take on Daniel Dubois and stopped him in stunning fashion in the fifth round.

Image source, Getty Images

Usyk loves beating his British opponents twice. After pipping Tyson Fury on points in their first encounter in May 2024, Usyk made sure he was leaving Saudi Arabia with all of the heavyweight belts once again later that year.

Image source, Getty Images

Usyk dispatched of Anthony Joshua, not once but twice in more boxing clinics from the Ukrainian. He beat him on points in 2021 before repeating the trick the following year.

Lewis Williams
Heavyweight speaking to BBC Sport

Over the time that I was at the training camp, I probably would have done around 70 rounds [against Usyk]. Of course it's sparring, but he is so high level so it's not going to be tippy tappy.

He is very technical, and you couldn't take your foot off the throttle or be an easy target because he would take it.

Image source, Lewis Williams

Kal Sajad
BBC Sport boxing journalist

We are so lucky as boxing fans to be living in the era of Oleksandr Usyk. A true generational great and one we’ll be telling our grandkids about for decades.

What are the chances of those stories including the night it all came crashing down in Cairo against a boxing novice? Probably slim to none.

Rico Verhoeven has not lost a kickboxing fight in more than 4,000 days and that sort of dominance brings an aura of invincibility. But boxing is a specialist’s sport and this task is beyond enormous.

If Verhoeven somehow pulls this off, surely it surpasses Buster Douglas beating Mike Tyson in 1990 as the greatest upset in boxing history?

Soon, it's Oleksandr Usyk time...

Image source, Matchroom

Jack Catterall's promoter Eddie Hearn speaking to DAZN: "They are two of the top fighters at 147 pounds. Jack [Catterall] was exceptional tonight, he started fast and was aggressive. He has a portion of that championship and we want the full portion.

"The official order is out and the winner of this fight needs to fight Rolly Romero within 180 days. Why wait 180 days? We don't need 180, 90 sounds better.

"Every opponent we put in front of Jack he has said yes every time. No one wanted to fight Shakram [Giyasov], [Rolly] Romero aovided it for a year. Jack stepped up and next is a shot against Romero."