An explanation has been offered for how Rico Verhoeven got his shot at Oleksandr Usyk.
Rico Verhoeven is gearing up to face Oleksandr Usyk on May 23 in Cairo, Egypt, in a matchup that has quickly sparked debate among combat sports fans.
While Verhoeven may not have been the fan favourite choice to step in against the unbeaten Ukrainian star, fresh insight has shed light on how the bout came together behind the scenes.
As anticipation grows, Ariel Helwani has since explained how the negotiations came about in the first place.
On The Ariel Helwani Show, he said: “This some way, somehow got to Jason Statham.
“Jason Statham is a very good friend of Rico Verhoeven. Jason is also a very good friend of Turki Alalshikh.
“Jason pitched Turki Alalshikh, Rico Verhoeven. Turki Alalshikh was not familiar with Rico Verhoeven.
“And [Statham] said, ‘This is the guy, this is my boy.’ I think they were in a movie together.”
Statham has been a familiar face at numerous combat events over the years, building a close relationship with kickboxing’s biggest star, Verhoeven, along the way.
Luckily for the Dutchman, the Hollywood star spoke very highly of him.
Verhoeven, widely regarded as one of the most dominant figures in modern kickboxing, brings size, power and years of championship experience.
Usyk, meanwhile, is known for his elite footwork, technical precision and remarkable success at the highest level of professional boxing.
Either way, their fight is already shaping up to be one of the most talked-about events of 2026.
Fans are certainly growing eager to see how the clash of styles unfolds once the two champions finally meet in the ring.
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