If any fighter can be forgiven for taking an easy option, it is Oleksandr Usyk , who ends a long run of dangerous bouts by facing kickboxer Rico Verhoeven in Egypt this weekend. Verhoeven is regarded as one of the all-time great heavyweights in his sport, but Usyk is as short as 1/20 to come out on top in this discipline, and it is surely just a question of when, rather than if, he wins.
The Ukrainian is the ultimate professional and unlikely to take any unnecessary risks, so we reckon 5/2 for him to prevail in rounds 7-12 is a value bet for our first Usyk vs Verhoeven prediction.
Betting Odds
Oleksandr Usyk vs Rico Verhoeven Betting Odds – Boxing 2026
Result | Odds | Chance |
|---|---|---|
Oleksandr Usyk | 1/20 | 95.2% |
Rico Verhoeven | 9/1 | 10.0% |
*Odds are correct at the time of writing, but subject to change.
Oleksandr Usyk is the 1/20 favourite to win. Rico Verhoeven can be backed at 9/1.
How to Watch
How to Watch Oleksandr Usyk vs Rico Verhoeven
The ring walks for the main event are not expected to start before 22:30 BST on Saturday night, with the fight itself provisionally scheduled to begin at around 23:00, and this bout is being broadcast live on DAZN Pay-Per-View and DAZN Ultimate Tier .
Form Guides
Oleksandr Usyk Form Guide
London Olympics gold medallist Usyk capped off his stint as the undisputed cruiserweight kingpin with an eighth-round knockout of Tony Bellew back in 2018 and quickly made his mark in the heavyweight division. Despite doubts about his size and power, he became world champion by comfortably outpointing Anthony Joshua and then was again successful in a much closer rematch. The Cat can also boast two wins over Tyson Fury , who pushed him all the way in their first contest but could have few complaints about the second bout going Usyk 's way by scores of 116-112 on all three judges' cards.
Usyk showed in those fights that he is an incredible technician, but there is no doubting he also has a ruthless streak once getting on top, as highlighted by a couple of knockout victories over Daniel Dubois . The champion was floored in their opening encounter, but that was ruled a low blow, and he recovered to prevail in round nine, while last July's rematch was a one-sided affair that ended in the fifth, improving his pro record to 24-0.
At 39, Usyk may not have many big paydays left to come, so he could seek to look after himself early on here before moving through the gears, which makes10/3 for him to get the job done in rounds 7-9 another option.
Rico Verhoeven Form Guide
It is a bit of a farce that Verhoeven has officially been given a shot at the WBC belt, having had just one professional boxing bout, which he won just over 12 years ago. However, the 37-year-old Dutchman has since established himself as the King of Kickboxing, setting new records for the longest winning streak and most successful heavyweight title bout triumphs.
At 6ft 5in and 19st 5lb, Verhoeven certainly has the physical stature to more than hold his own in any clinches and will presumably try and keep things close while he finds his feet. His lack of elite-level boxing experience has to become a factor at some point, though, and there is no more clinical operator than Usyk in terms of finding a way to dismantle an opponent.
For those wanting a bigger pay-out, let's add 9/1 for the hot favourite to strike in round seven to our Usyk vs Verhoeven betting tips.
Betting Tips
Oleksandr Usyk vs Rico Verhoeven Betting Tips
Usyk to Win in Rounds 7-12 @ 5/2
Usyk to Win in Rounds 7-9 @ 10/3
Simply click/tap on the above betting tips to add to your betslip.
Prices are subject to fluctuation.
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