The Usyk built-up cruiserweight and Verhoeven naturally born heavyweight debate is coming up before the fight.
People are making a lot about it. But, maybe it shouldn’t be that big an issue.
Usyk won Olympic heavyweight honors with the gold medal back in 2012 so it is little wonder he is dealing with heavyweights as well as he has been lately.
He’s a vastly more experienced boxer and champion in amateur and pro boxing, Rico’s had just one pro boxing match and is going in against an Olympic gold medalist and undisputed, undefeated, cruisweight and heavyweight champion of the world — in boxing.
That’s almost a bit crazy to even say — but it’s true though. Some things to keep in mind on this as well for those new to boxing:
- Usyk uses movement and angles to negate size.
- Verhoeven will look to use reach and frame — surely early on.
Why weight and size mean little in Usyk vs Rico:
- As mentioned, Usyk won Olympic heavyweight gold in 2012.
- Again, Usyk is the undisputed heavyweight champion with a 24-0 record.
- Usyk beat bigger men like Tyson Fury twice and Anthony Joshua twice.
- Usyk has elite footwork and ring IQ that beat size.
- Again, Rico has only one professional boxing fight, important to emphasize though.
- Usyk has over 300 amateur boxing matches. That’s a lot.
- Usyk moves up in weight and still dominates time and time again.
- Usyk’s hand speed and accuracy trouble bigger opponents.
- Skill and experience usually beat raw size in boxing.
- Rico’s kickboxing background does not fully transfer to boxing with the difference in the sport’s stances, guards and distances for throwing punches.
We rest our case.
It will be a good showpiece for boxing with a solid undercard at an unusual venue and famous part of the world, though, useful for further marketing of professional boxing and audience expansion but through geographic means in Egypt as a new market and cross-over means from kickboxing and combat sports fans tuning in to watch boxing for the first time.
Here’s what the Verhoeven weight advantage will be ball park range-wise Saturday.
