Face off! Oleksandr Usyk, Rico Verhoeven refuse to break staredown, Eddie Hearn forced to intervene

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

Don’t try to outlast Oleksandr Usyk when it comes to the media face off.

The Ukrainian “Cat” once stared down Tyson Fury for 11 minutes straight, which is probably why Matchroom head cheese Eddie Hearn had to step in and break Usyk’s eye contact with Rico Verhoeven at the conclusion of their “Glory in Giza” press conference earlier today in London (watch the replay here).

Their boxing showdown takes place on May 23 at Pyramids of Giza in Egypt.

Heavy hitters.

“I think to be the very best at what you’re doing, you have to be a little bit crazy,” a confident Verhoeven said during today’s presser. “I think that’s not just me, I think that’s in every vertical and every discipline, you have to be a little bit crazy and obsessed with what you’re doing and that’s 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 I’m excited to be here.”

Usyk is defending his WBC heavyweight title against former GLORY kickboxing champion.

“We’re bringing new eyeballs to combat sports,” Verhoeven added. “We’re 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 hasn’t solved yet. I’m going to bring kickboxing angles [and] bring a different type of puzzle. I’m a big unit. I’m like 125 kilos. So that is something that he’s got to feel.”

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