Carl Froch highlights problem with Oleksandr Usyk fighting Rico Verhoeven

Carl Froch has highlighted the real issue he believes with Oleksandr Usyk fighting Rico Verhoeven.

Two-time undisputed heavyweight champion Usyk is set to make his long-awaited boxing return on May 23 in Giza, Egypt, where he will defend his WBC title against kickboxing great Verhoeven.

The Ukrainian boxer has been allowed by the WBC for a voluntary defence of its belt before taking on his mandatory challenger, Agit Kabayel.

Usyk, who currently holds the WBA, WBC and IBF belts, has not entered the ring since stopping Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium in July.

Oleksandr Usyk will be facing a vastly different challenge in Verhoeven, who will be stepping into a boxing ring for the first time since 2014.

Speaking on Froch on Fighting, he said it will be unfair for the mandatory challenger Kabayel to miss out on his opportunity.

“It’s a voluntary defence against someone nobody has ever heard of and he’s a kickboxer and I’m not sure how these kickboxers go into the boxing ring but I don’t think there’s many that have gone into the boxing ring and done very well in the past. All I can say about this is Oleksandr Usyk is due an easy fight and he’s got one, so fair play to him,” Froch said.

“Agit Kabayel will be a bit annoyed cause he’s mandatory for this WBC belt and he’s a bona fide challenger of the belt who has been around for ages waiting his turn and he’s going to have to wait even longer, which is bad for the sport really, chucking Usyk in with a kickboxer nobody’s heard of.”

Rico Verhoeven, 36, is a kickboxing legend and has a record of 66-10, 21 KOs as a kickboxer.