Oleksandr Usyk and Rico Verhoeven engaged in an intense staredown during the 'Glory in Giza' press conference in London, prompting Eddie Hearn to intervene. Their heavyweight fight is scheduled for May 23 at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt.
LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 14: Oleksandr Usyk and Rico Verhoeven face off ahead of their Heavyweight fight during the Glory In Giza launch press conference at The Pelligon on April 14, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images) | Getty Images
LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 14: Oleksandr Usyk and Rico Verhoeven face off ahead of their Heavyweight fight during the Glory In Giza launch press conference at The Pelligon on April 14, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Donāt try to outlast Oleksandr Usyk when it comes to the media face off.
The Ukrainian āCatā once stared down Tyson Fury for 11 minutes straight, which is probably why Matchroom head cheese Eddie Hearn had to step in and break Usykās eye contact with Rico Verhoeven at the conclusion of their āGlory in Gizaā press conference earlier today in London (watch the replay here).
āI think to be the very best at what youāre doing, you have to be a little bit crazy,ā a confident Verhoeven said during todayās presser. āI think thatās not just me, I think thatās in every vertical and every discipline, you have to be a little bit crazy and obsessed with what youāre doing and thatās what I am. What I do, I do to perfection. In my vision, I love it. I enjoy it. I do it with so much passion, and Iām excited to be here.ā
āWeāre bringing new eyeballs to combat sports,ā Verhoeven added. āWeāre bringing [and] colliding two worlds together, kickboxing and boxing, to make this sport of combat even bigger. Oleksandr has solved the puzzle of boxing multiple times already. This is a puzzle he hasnāt solved yet. Iām going to bring kickboxing angles [and] bring a different type of puzzle. Iām a big unit. Iām like 125 kilos. So that is something that heās got to feel.ā
What date is the Oleksandr Usyk vs. Rico Verhoeven fight scheduled for?
The fight between Oleksandr Usyk and Rico Verhoeven is scheduled for May 23, 2026.
Where will the Usyk vs. Verhoeven fight take place?
The fight will take place at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt.
Why did Eddie Hearn intervene during the staredown between Usyk and Verhoeven?
Eddie Hearn intervened because Usyk and Verhoeven were engaged in a prolonged staredown, reminiscent of Usyk's previous 11-minute staredown with Tyson Fury.
Related Articles
Sports
LIV Golf is still going, but its days seem numbered and probably always were
LIV Golf's future appears uncertain as reports suggest Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund may withdraw funding after investing $5 billion. Despite assurances for the 2026 season, the tour faces challenges from low ratings and strong competition from the PGA Tour.
ESPN NewsĀ·Ā·1 min read
MLBĀ·Recap
Angels' Mike Trout hits another HR to join Aaron Judge in rare Yankee Stadium history
Mike Trout's 446-foot HR joins him with Aaron Judge in Yankee Stadium lore.
Yahoo SportsĀ·Ā·1 min read
MLBĀ·Feature
Tigers projected to take a gamble on the upside of a 6'3" prep bat
Detroit Tigers projected to take a risk on a 6'3" prep bat in the MLB draft.