Usyk Risks WBC Belt Against 1-0 Verhoeven as Rival Bodies Refuse to Crown Him
Updated
Updated · ESPN · May 22
Usyk Risks WBC Belt Against 1-0 Verhoeven as Rival Bodies Refuse to Crown Him
10 articles · Updated · ESPN · May 22
May 23's Usyk-Verhoeven bout in Egypt puts only the WBC heavyweight title fully at stake, even though Usyk enters with the WBC, WBA and IBF belts.
The IBF said Verhoeven cannot win its title and would leave it vacant if Usyk loses, while the WBA ruled a Verhoeven upset would trigger a review rather than automatic title recognition because he is unranked.
That leaves the WBC at the center of the dispute after it upgraded the fight to a voluntary defense, allowing kickboxing star Verhoeven—just 1-0 in boxing—to challenge for the belt.
Agit Kabayel, the WBC interim champion and mandatory challenger, is the clearest loser from that decision; promoter Frank Warren has threatened legal action if the WBC does not order Usyk to face him next.
The ruling also marks a shift from 2023, when Tyson Fury's crossover bout with Francis Ngannou was sanctioned by the WBC as a non-title fight.
Is the Usyk-Verhoeven clash a bold new future for combat sports or a spectacle that undermines boxing's integrity?
With his legacy on the line, what is Usyk’s true motivation for risking it all against a kickboxing star?
Can a kickboxing legend with just one pro bout truly dethrone the undisputed heavyweight boxing king tomorrow?