Oleksandr Usyk will officially defend the WBA heavyweight title against Rico Verhoeven after the sanctioning body confirmed its stance on next week’s fight.
Usyk faces Verhoeven on May 23 in Egypt, with the WBC previously agreeing to have his heavyweight belt on the line, although Verhoeven entered the contest with just one professional boxing bout on his record.
The WBA has not publicly clarified whether his heavyweight title would also be on the line, leading to questions about Usyk’s championship status heading into the fight.
However, the organization has now confirmed that a Usyk win will count as an official WBA heavyweight title defence.
“Should Usyk emerge victorious, the match will officially count as a successful title defense,” said the WBA revealed.
“Should the champion lose, the WBA Championship Committee will review his status and determine the next course of action regarding the heavyweight championship.”
The IBF has not publicly confirmed whether its own heavyweight title will remain attached to the competition. Frank Sanchez and Richard Torrez Jr. are scheduled to meet in an IBF heavyweight eliminator later this month.
Verhoeven, a long-time kickboxing champion, has not been confirmed as eligible to win the WBA belt himself, despite the title being linked to the fight for Usyk.
The Dutchman’s only recorded professional boxing match took place over a decade ago against Janos Finfera.
The WBA also stated that if Verhoeven were to defeat Usyk, he would be eligible to enter the organization’s heavyweight rankings following a review by its championship committee.
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Last updated on 2026/05/14 at 15:42
