Secrets, acting & 16 years unbeaten – in camp with UsykFigure caption, Oleksandr Usyk on fighting Rico VerhoevenByBobbie JacksonBBC Sport journalistPublished39 minutes agoA kickboxing world champion attempts to dethrone boxing’s unified heavyweight king at the foot of the Pyramids of Giza – it sounds like the plot of Hollywood’s recent blockbuster movie.But there is nothing scripted about Oleksandr Usyk’s WBC title defence against boxing novice Rico Verhoeven in Egypt on Saturday.
This is boxing’s new normal, where the lines between fantasy and reality have shifted.
The storyline offers intrigue: two dominant figures from different combat sports disciplines – but the outcome should be a routine win for heavyweight boxing’s generational great Usyk.
From inside his training camp in Spain, Usyk told BBC Sport a career in acting could be on the cards when he finally hangs up his gloves, but he feels he still has unfinished business in the ring.
“I will not stop my career after I fight Rico – I have two, maybe three, fights more,” Usyk reported.
“I build a plan in future for this fight – I have a secret plan. I want to build a business – this is one of my last fights, but I build [a] big show.”
