How much will Oleksandr Usyk and Rico Verhoeven earn for their fight in Egypt?
On 23 May, in the Egyptian city of Giza, Oleksandr Usyk and Rico Verhoeven will face off in a boxing match.
The fight will take place near the pyramids. Footage of the construction of a temporary arena in the middle of the desert has already appeared online.
The WBC heavyweight title will be on the line. For the Ukrainian, this will be a voluntary defence of his title.
Oleksandr Usyk will also be defending his WBA and IBF titles. In the event of a defeat, these belts will not pass to Rico Verhoeven, as the Dutchman is not ranked by these organisations.
In addition to the titles, the winner of the fight will receive a special WBC belt called the ‘King of the Nile’.
Usyk could earn around $100 million
According to the Dutch publication Panorama, Oleksandr Usyk’s purse could reach $100 million, reports the Dutch publication Panorama.
This is one of the biggest paydays of the Ukrainian champion’s career. By way of comparison, Usyk received $114 million for his rematch with Tyson Fury.
Rico Verhoeven, according to the report, could earn around $15 million. For the Dutchman, this would be a record-breaking purse.
Verhoeven himself has not confirmed the exact figure, but stated that he has never earned so much in sport before.
“I certainly can’t complain, but we don’t talk about it. As a kickboxer, I’ve never earned that much,” Verhoeven told RTL.
Verhoeven is preparing for his professional boxing debut
For Rico Verhoeven, this will be his first official boxing match.
He previously held the world kickboxing title for many years, but voluntarily relinquished his Glory title in November 2025.
The Dutchman said he is currently at a special training camp and is fully focused on his preparation.
“Twelve weeks of total focus on training, proper nutrition, rest and sleep,” the athlete noted.
Oleksandr Usyk goes into the fight undefeated in professional boxing. The Ukrainian has won all 24 fights of his career.
