As has been known for weeks now, Oleksandr Usyk has decided to face kickboxing legend Rico Verhoeven on May 23 at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt. Following the Ukrainian champion’s decision, boxing’s world sanctioning bodies are carefully considering what course of action to take.
Mauricio Sulaimán, president of the World Boxing Council, initially expressed doubts about the appropriateness of granting the bout world title status. After further evaluation, however, he gave the green light for the WBC heavyweight title to be on the line on the night of the Pharaohs.
The World Boxing Association and the International Boxing Federation are still assessing the situation and have yet to make their positions known.
Initially, Usyk had publicly hoped to make a voluntary defense against Deontay Wilder. However, the “Bronze Bomber” could not turn down an April clash with Derek Chisora—an intriguing matchup in some respects and, apparently, a well-paid one.
There are now attempts underway to convince the IBF to strip the Ukrainian champion of its belt and have it contested in this fight between two heavyweights who, despite possessing solid credentials, do not currently belong to the elite of boxing’s premier division.
“Oleksandr Usyk has not made a single mandatory defense of the IBF title during his reign,” said Kalle Sauerland, promoter of Wilder vs. Chisora, to Sky Sports. “Given Chisora’s position at the top of the IBF heavyweight rankings right now—and Wilder’s as well—it would be a fantastic addition for them to be able to fight for the belt.”
Chisora and Wilder, however, are not the only ones eyeing Usyk’s belts. Murat Gassiev, who currently holds the WBA “Regular” title, is also aiming to be elevated to full champion status, and it appears that his team is putting pressure on the federation led by Gilberto Mendoza in this regard.
In short, by choosing to fight an opponent largely unrelated to the boxing world, Oleksandr Usyk has shaken his credentials as undisputed champion, leading many observers and insiders to question whether it would be fair to strip him of his belts for refusing to accept higher-profile challenges.
We will see in the coming months whether the WBA and IBF will follow the example of the World Boxing Organization—which has already taken its belt away from the Ukrainian champion and awarded it to Britain’s Fabio Wardley—or whether they will instead align themselves with the WBC and approve the unusual title defense against Rico Verhoeven.