Usyk vs Rico Verhoeven: How To Watch, Start Time, Ring Walk and Full Fight Card For Glory in Giza
Tonight, boxing history is made at one of the most iconic landmarks on earth. Oleksandr Usyk defends his WBC heavyweight title against kickboxing legend Rico Verhoeven at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt. This is the first ever world title fight to be held at the ancient pyramids and it is live on DAZN right now.
Here is everything you need to know.
When Is Usyk vs Rico Verhoeven?
The fight is tonight, Saturday May 23 2026, at the Pyramids of Giza in Giza, Egypt. The event is billed as Glory in Giza and is the first boxing event ever to take place at this iconic landmark.
What Time Does It Start?
The card has already begun. Here is the full schedule:
Prelims: 10am ET / 3pm BST Main Card: 1pm ET / 6pm BST Main Event Ring Walks: approximately 5:48pm ET / 10:48pm BST
Ring walk times in boxing always depend on how long the undercard fights run, so the Usyk and Verhoeven ring walks could shift slightly later than the scheduled time.
How To Watch Usyk vs Rico Verhoeven
United Kingdom The fight is live on DAZN in the UK. Download the DAZN app or go to DAZN.com and subscribe to watch. The BBC Sport website will also have live text commentary throughout the night for free.
United States Live exclusively on DAZN PPV in the United States. The PPV price is $59.99. Alternatively DAZN Ultimate subscribers can watch at no extra cost as part of their package. A monthly DAZN subscription costs $20.99 on a 12 month contract or $30.99 month to month. The annual subscription is $224.99.
Everywhere Else DAZN is available in most countries worldwide. Check DAZN.com to confirm availability in your region.
The Full Fight Card Tonight
Main Card
Oleksandr Usyk vs Rico Verhoeven, 12 rounds, WBC Heavyweight Championship Hamzah Sheeraz vs Alem Begic, 12 rounds, vacant WBO Super Middleweight Championship Jack Catterall vs Shakhram Giyasov, 12 rounds, vacant WBA Welterweight Championship Frank Sanchez vs Richard Torrez Jr, 10 rounds, Heavyweights Mizuki Hiruta vs Mai Soliman, 10 rounds, WBO Women's Junior Bantamweight Championship
Preliminary Card
Basem Mamdouh vs Jamar Talley Sultan Al Mohamed vs Dedy Imprax Daniel Lapin vs Benjamin Mendes Tani Omar Hikal vs M Kalyalya Mahmoud Mobark vs Ali Sserunkuma
What Makes This Fight So Special
This is not a standard world title defence. Usyk, the greatest heavyweight of his generation with a 24-0 professional record, is stepping into the ring against a man who has not competed as a boxer since 2014. Rico Verhoeven is not a professional boxer. He is widely regarded as the greatest kickboxer of all time, holding the GLORY Heavyweight Kickboxing Championship for over twelve years and defending it thirteen times.
The fight takes place against the backdrop of the ancient Pyramids of Giza, making it the first world heavyweight title fight ever held in Egypt and one of the most visually extraordinary venues in boxing history. The event is billed Glory in Giza for good reason. There is nothing like this in boxing.
Verhoeven stands 6ft 5in and weighs around 270 pounds, giving him a significant size advantage over Usyk. He trains under Peter Fury, uncle of Tyson Fury, and has spent recent years dabbling in the movie business with appearances in several action films. He has one professional boxing win to his name, a second round knockout back in 2014.
Usyk, meanwhile, has beaten Joshua twice, Fury, Dubois twice, and is a two-time undisputed heavyweight champion. He is a 1/16 favourite with the bookmakers tonight, which tells you everything about how the experts see this one going.
The Storylines To Watch
Can Verhoeven's size make the difference? At 270 pounds and 6ft 5in, Verhoeven is enormous. Usyk has beaten bigger men before but Verhoeven's physical presence combined with his elite striking background makes him dangerous in a way that traditional boxing opponents simply are not.
The crossover fight question Boxing fans have debated for years whether elite kickboxers could compete in professional boxing. Tonight we find out.
Usyk's legacy Usyk has said this fight is the first of his final three before retirement. He wants the Fury trilogy and one more big fight. Tonight is the opening chapter of the final act of one of the greatest heavyweight careers ever.
The venue Fighting at the Pyramids of Giza is one of the most visually stunning settings in the history of combat sports. Whatever happens inside the ring, the images from tonight will be remembered for a very long time.
The Prediction
Usyk wins. Comfortably. The gulf in professional boxing experience between these two fighters is enormous and Usyk's ring intelligence, footwork and southpaw angles will give Verhoeven enormous problems from the first bell.
The question is not whether Usyk wins but whether Verhoeven's size and power can make it interesting. If one of those kickboxing shots lands clean, anything can happen. But expect Usyk to box beautifully, land at will, and either stop Verhoeven in the middle rounds or cruise to a wide points victory.
Finesse Boxing prediction: Usyk wins by TKO, Round 7.
