Rico Verhoeven says he will become the first man to beat Oleksandr Usyk when the pair meet Saturday at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt. Teddy Atlas says that is not going to happen. The fight-week conversation around the \u201cGlory in Giza\u201d card, which streams worldwide on DAZN, has settled into that gap between the kickboxing champion\u2019s belief and the consensus that the unified heavyweight champion is in no real danger.<\/p>\n
Verhoeven, a 36-year-old Dutchman who held the GLORY heavyweight title for more than 11 years before vacating it in November, told The Ring<\/a> that he is bringing a style Usyk has not prepared for. \u201cI\u2019m bringing something different to the table that he hasn\u2019t seen before. That\u2019s the biggest difference on why I will beat him,\u201d Verhoeven said. \u201cHe\u2019s dissected the sport of boxing like no other, but he doesn\u2019t know about a kickboxer who will be boxing. I think I can beat him.\u201d<\/p>\n Verhoeven enters the bout with a professional boxing record of 1-0, a second-round stoppage of the winless Janos Finfera in 2014. His kickboxing record stands at 66-10 with 21 knockouts. He is trained for the fight by Peter Fury, who previously cornered Tyson Fury for the 2015 victory over Wladimir Klitschko.<\/p>\n Atlas Sees No Path<\/p>\n On his podcast, Teddy Atlas was unsparing about Verhoeven\u2019s prospects. \u201cWe got a better chance of seeing King Tut make a comeback than we do of seeing Verhoeven pull off what would be beyond upset,\u201d Atlas said while previewing the May 23 card. \u201cHe\u2019s a big strong guy. He\u2019s in good shape. He\u2019s physical. His game is experienced in the kickboxing realm. You don\u2019t take anyone for granted, but he doesn\u2019t figure to have any chance against Usyk.\u201d<\/p>\n Atlas argued that Verhoeven\u2019s high guard and upright stance could leave him vulnerable to Usyk\u2019s combinations. \u201cWhen a guy covers like that, you\u2019re fighting a guy like Usyk, it\u2019s like having a heavy bag in front of you. Usyk will put punches together. He\u2019ll take what you give him. He\u2019ll go to the body or split the guard with the uppercut,\u201d Atlas said.<\/p>\n The betting market agrees with Atlas. According to Oddschecker<\/a>, Usyk is a 1\/16 favorite across UK sportsbooks. Verhoeven is listed at 13\/1, with the draw at 50\/1.<\/p>\n What Is on the Line<\/p>\n