Oleksandr Usyk returned to action on Sat., May 23, 2026, when he defended his WBC Heavyweight title against kickboxing legend Rico Verhoeven at the Glory in Giza Fight Night in Cairo, Egypt.
The matchup took place in a notable setting near the Pyramids of Giza, and the early rounds belonged largely to Verhoeven. According to the source, he pushed the pace from the start, landed the bigger shots early and clearly won the first two, perhaps three, rounds. Usyk needed time to settle in, but as the fight developed he began to find his rhythm and won some of the later rounds.
Even so, Verhoeven remained aggressive throughout the bout. He kept coming forward, continued to press the champion and connected with significant punches, while also absorbing heavy shots in return. Usyk, described in the source as having trouble finding his groove after Verhoeven’s early success, eventually secured a late stoppage win. 
The ending was not free from controversy. The source says the stoppage was a “horrible stoppage” and that it tarnished Usyk’s late TKO victory. Despite that, the result went in favor of Usyk, who remained the winner in the title defense.
The bout was presented as a high-profile heavyweight meeting between one of boxing’s pound-for-pound stars and a kickboxing icon, and the action matched that billing with a competitive pace, momentum swings and a disputed finish.
Источник: MMA Mania
