How a kickboxing legend & Statham's pal landed a shot at Usyk

Here is a story sports fans will want to follow: How a kickboxing legend & Statham's pal landed a shot at Usyk Figure caption, How an undisputed fight at the pyramids of Giza was influenced by Jason StathamByKal SajadBBC Sport boxing journalistPublished6 minutes agoIf Saturday delivers the most astonishing upset boxing has ever seen, the history books will have Jason Statham to thank. A chance encounter with Hollywood's go-to hard man has somehow landed Dutchman Rico Verhoeven - a kickboxing legend with just one professional boxing bout to his name - an unlikely WBC world title shot against heavyweight great Oleksandr Usyk in Egypt. It began when Verhoeven bumped into Briton Statham - a close ally of Saudi boxing powerbroker Turki Alalshikh - in Las Vegas in September 2024, during the Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez v Terence Crawford fight week.

"I know you can beat a lot of these guys, or maybe everybody," Verhoeven says Statham told him. "I said: 'Yeah, 100%'. "By the next morning, things had escalated.

Match Details

Verhoeven was mid-run on a treadmill when Statham called him. "'Yo, bro, I put your name out there. They're going to reach out, I give them your number,'" Verhoeven says.

Secrets, acting & 16 years unbeaten - in camp with Usyk Published23 hours agoUsyk v Verhoeven - all you need to know Published2 days agoVerhoeven was originally set to face Anthony Joshua but, when the Briton's career was stalled by a serious car accident in November, something even bigger emerged. On paper, Verhoeven challenging Usyk - a pound-for-pound great and one of the most complete fighters of his era - for the WBC title is absurd. But Verhoeven believes his inexperience and unpredictability could turn what many see as impossible into reality.

"Usyk has pulled the puzzle of boxing out and put it back together, but I'm not a traditional boxer - I'm a kickboxer," he tells Sport. "My stance is different, my movement is different and I am a naturally big, athletic guy. When I hit him, he's going to feel a natural 20-kilo weight difference.

Reactions and Expectations

" What information do we collect from this quiz? From Bergen op Zoom to the big screen - who is Verhoeven? Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Verhoeven (right) will challenge heavyweight superstar Usyk in a unique location by the pyramids of Giza in EgyptVerhoeven is an list fixture in his home country, and recently wrapped filming on Road House 2 alongside Jake Gyllenhaal.

His inner circle includes Kevin Hart and Max Verstappen, and even the King of the Netherlands is a fan. Away from Formula One paddocks and movie sets, Verhoeven's story began amid a turbulent childhood in Bergen op Zoom, near the Belgian border. Raised initially by his mother, who struggled with alcohol and drug addiction, he moved in with his father aged six.

"My dad came from Kyokushin karate," Verhoeven says. "He got injured, started boxing, started kickboxing and people started asking him to teach. "His father coached with intense, unrelenting discipline.

The story has climbed to the top of the sports agenda, with fans and analysts following closely.