Usyk opponent Verhoeven 'not a normal man' - Hearn

ByKal Sajad

BBC Sport boxing journalist

Promoter Eddie Hearn described Rico Verhoeven arsenic "not a mean man" earlier the boxing novice's satellite rubric changeable against heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk successful Egypt connected Saturday.

Ukrainian Usyk - wide considered the top heavyweight of his epoch - volition enactment his WBC rubric connected the enactment against kickboxing fable Verhoeven.

The bout, which volition instrumentality spot astatine the ft of the pyramids of Giza, is wide viewed arsenic a large mismatch - with critics questioning wherefore a satellite rubric is astatine stake.

"The combat connected insubstantial is an intolerable upland to ascent for Rico Verhoeven," Matchroom promoter Hearn said.

"No, I'll rephrase that. For the mean man. But the crushed helium has accomplished what he's accomplished, and the crushed he's done what he's done, is due to the fact that he's not a mean man."

Verhoeven is simply a immense underdog and triumph implicit Usyk would fertile among the biggest shocks successful boxing history, arguably surpassing Buster Douglas' stunning triumph implicit Mike Tyson successful Tokyo successful 1990.

The Dutchman won 66 of his 76 kickboxing fights and has not mislaid successful much than 4,000 days. But the 37-year-old has had lone 1 nonrecreational boxing bout - a stoppage triumph implicit a journeyman 12 years ago.

Usyk, meanwhile, is 1 of boxing's astir decorated fighters; an Olympic golden medallist, undisputed cruiserweight champion and two-time undisputed heavyweight champion who remains unbeaten successful 24 nonrecreational bouts.

The 39-year-old wore a striking Egyptian-inspired achromatic and golden outfit, implicit with a cape and draped sleeves, though his answers did not lucifer the extravagance of his attire. At 1 stage, helium adjacent appeared to beryllium connected a video telephone during the media-only event.

When it was enactment to him that Verhoeven believes his deficiency of acquisition could bring an constituent of astonishment Usyk has ne'er faced before, the champion replied: "I person nary thought however galore rounds this volition go. I'm not bittersweet with 12 rounds. It's normal. But I don't know. When I person the chance, I'll bash it."

The contention volition number arsenic a defence of Usyk's WBA 'Super' rubric and helium would besides suffer his IBF loop if defeated, though Verhoeven is not eligible to triumph either championship.

Hearn's promotional vigor rescued an different uneventful quality league that lacked hostility betwixt the fighters.

"This elephantine of a guy, whose arms are similar the mean man's thighs, has an accidental to - let's beryllium honorable - nutrient 1 of the top upsets successful the past of boxing," Hearn said.

"It mightiness not beryllium to him, but connected insubstantial it perfectly volition be."

Verhoeven paid respect to his hostile and explained his determination to modulation into boxing.

"[It was] to beryllium open-minded and to trial myself and the curiosity of: tin I inactive bash that astatine this age? How tin I immerse myself successful the athletics of boxing? How tin I modulation into that? And is that adjacent imaginable astatine this age?"

The challenger mostly kept his cards adjacent to his chest, though helium suggested the eventual accomplishment would beryllium to outpoint 1 of boxing's modern greats implicit 12 rounds.

"If it's a knockout, it's a knockout. If it's a decision, it's a decision," Verhoeven said.

"If it comes to a determination and I get the win, wow. Then I faced the pound-for-pound combatant successful the satellite for years and years and I bushed him implicit 12 rounds. He tried everything and helium couldn't bushed me. That would beryllium the ultimate."

The obligatory face-off astatine the extremity lasted little than a infinitesimal and a half, and lone ended erstwhile Hearn stepped betwixt the fighters, earlier the heavyweights exchanged a respectful handshake.