Heavyweight gold will be on the line at the Pyramids when two dominant champions from different sports collide.
Turki Alalshikh wanted Oleksandr Usyk to face Rico Verhoeven after his original plans for the Dutch kickboxer didn’t come to fruition.
Despite many seeing this clash as a huge mismatch due to the challenger’s lack of professional boxing experience, Usyk vs Verhoeven was made official for May 23.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the best heavyweight boxer on the planet putting his undefeated record on the line against a kickboxing legend this Saturday.
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Oleksandr Usyk vs Rico Verhoeven start times
Via DAZN, both the WBA and WBC heavyweight titles will be on the line this Saturday in front of the stunning backdrop of the Pyramids of Giza.
That means good news for UK fans, who will be able to watch this event without staying up into the early hours of the morning.
Ring walks are approximately expected to take place just under five hours after the main card gets underway.
| Time zone | Main card start time | Approximate main event ring walk time |
| ET | 01:00 PM | 05:48 PM |
| PST | 10:00 AM | 02:48 PM |
| BST | 06:00 PM | 10:48 PM |
How to watch Oleksandr Usyk vs Rico Verhoeven
Streaming platform DAZN is the exclusive live broadcaster of this weekend’s heavyweight title clash in Egypt.
You don’t need a full subscription to watch this event, with a one-off charge of £24.99 or $59.99 getting you access to the full card.
DAZN is also offering bundles that save you money by purchasing multiple PPVs at the same time, such as the upcoming bout between Tommy Fury and Eddie Hall.
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Who else is fighting at ‘Glory in Giza’?
Several title fights were added to Oleksandr Usyk’s undercard to make May 23 a more significant date for boxing fans.
For viewers who might not be sold on the main event, other acclaimed talents like Hamzah Sheeraz and The Ring magazine female fighter of the year, Mizuki Hiruta, are also in action.
Full main card according to DAZN:
- Oleksandr Usyk vs. Rico Verhoeven: Heavyweight, for the WBA and WBC titles
- Hamzah Sheeraz vs. Alem Begic: Super-middleweight, for the vacant WBO title
- Jack Catterall vs. Shakhram Giyasov: Welterweight, for the WBA (Regular) title
- Frank Sanchez vs. Richard Torrez Jr.: Heavyweight
- Mizuki Hiruta vs. Mai Soliman: Super-flyweight, for the WBO title
- Daniel Lapin vs. Benjamin Mendes Tani: Light-heavyweight