Saudi official Turki Al-Shikh has announced a landmark global boxing event set to take place for the first time at the foot of Egypt’s pyramids.
The bout, titled “Glory in Giza,” will feature unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk against former kickboxing king Rico Verhoeven on Saturday, May 23, in Egypt.
The fight will be contested for the World Boxing Council (WBC) heavyweight title and broadcast globally on DAZN.
Alalshikh, Chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority and President of the Saudi Boxing Federation, is organizing the event in cooperation with The Ring magazine.
Usyk (24-0, 15 KOs) last fought in front of more than 80,000 fans at Wembley Stadium in London, where he stopped Daniel Dubois in the fifth round to claim the IBF heavyweight title and solidify his status as unified champion.
The 39-year-old Ukrainian has previously fought in Ukraine, Germany, Poland, the United States, Latvia, Russia and the United Kingdom.
The Giza showdown will mark the first professional bout of his career in North Africa.
Speaking about the fight, Usyk said: "I respect those who reach the top of their sport. Rico is one of them, a strong athlete and a true champion. But boxing is different. I am ready and excited. It will be a special night."
Verhoeven, 36, is widely regarded as one of the greatest fighters in the history of GLORY kickboxing. He defended the heavyweight title 13 consecutive times and recorded 14 championship-fight victories during a dominant reign spanning more than a decade.
After defending his title last June with a unanimous decision victory over Artem Vakhitov, Verhoeven announced his retirement from kickboxing in November, finishing his career with 66 wins in 76 fights.
Now, he returns to professional boxing for the first time since 2014, aiming to become the first fighter to defeat Usyk.
"I spent 12 years as an undisputed champion in kickboxing and achieved everything I wanted," Verhoeven said. "But I was not looking for comfort, I was looking for the greatest challenge possible. Undisputed vs. undisputed. The best against the best."
The historic setting at the Pyramids of Giza is expected to make the event one of the most visually iconic fight nights in recent boxing history.
Follow the latest news on Google News
