Former Heavyweight Champion gives verdict on Oleksandr Usyk and Rico Verhoeven showdown

Former heavyweight world champion Andy Ruiz Jr has offered his assessment ahead of Oleksandr Usyk’s unconventional clash with kickboxing icon Rico Verhoeven at the Pyramids of Giza on 23 May.

The bout features on a DAZN pay-per-view card promoted by Spencer Brown and Eddie Hearn, marking a rare crossover contest in combat sports.

Usyk has long dominated the sport, having cleared out the cruiserweight division before moving up to heavyweight where he became undisputed champion.

The Ukrainian now takes part in his first novelty bout after years of elite success, entering the unique matchup as a heavy favourite against the kickboxing icon. He is widely regarded as one of boxing’s greatest modern technicians.

Verhoeven is widely considered the gold standard of heavyweight kickboxing, reigning over GLORY’s division for more than a decade.

He has defeated elite contenders including Badr Hari, Jamal Ben Saddik and Artem Vakhitov, establishing a legacy built on technical precision, relentless pace and exceptional conditioning.

His disciplined jab and intelligent pressure fighting style have made him one of the most dominant champions in combat sports history. He is regarded as the defining figure of modern heavyweight kickboxing era dominance legacy.

Despite recognising Verhoeven’s ability, Ruiz still expects Usyk to prevail in the crossover bout.

“Usyk should win,” he told Casino. “He’s an experienced fighter. He’s the champion. He’s the undisputed heavyweight champion.”

“But I heard a lot of people saying for him to be careful against Verhoeven.”