Peter Fury states Rico Verhoeven requires a larger upset against Oleksandr Usyk compared to Tyson Fury’s victory over Wladimir Klitschko.

Rico Verhoeven’s coach Peter Fury acknowledges that the kickboxer will need to achieve one of the most significant heavyweight upsets in history to defeat Oleksandr Usyk on May 23.

This would surpass notable heavyweight title upsets such as Andy Ruiz vs. Anthony Joshua (2019), Lennox Lewis vs. Hasim Rahman (2001), George Foreman vs. Michael Moorer (1994), James ‘Buster’ Douglas vs. Mike Tyson (1990), Muhammad Ali vs. Sonny Liston and Foreman (1964 and 1974), and Leon Spinks vs. Ali (1978).

Douglas was a 42-1 underdog when he knocked out Tyson, while Ruiz was 25-1 when he defeated Joshua more recently.

Verhoeven will also step into the ring in front of the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt to challenge WBC champion Usyk (24-0, 15 KOs) as a significant underdog, but his trainer Fury has orchestrated one of the most remarkable heavyweight surprises in recent memory.

Fury was present when his nephew Tyson Fury outpointed Wladimir Klitschko in an upset to claim three world heavyweight titles in 2015, but he believes that Verhoeven (1-0, 1 KO) defeating Usyk, 39, from Ukraine, akin to Klitschko, would represent the pinnacle of his career.

“This would surpass all other upsets,” Fury stated to ESPN.

“All the previous upsets involved boxers, but my fighter is a champion from a martial arts background. It would rank as one of the greatest boxing upsets in history, as all the others featured established boxers or champions, and this will be Rico’s second professional boxing match. In kickboxing, they adopt a different stance, but this is boxing, and everything must adapt.

“They didn’t give Tyson a chance against Klitschko; analysts predicted he would only win two rounds. However, the outcome was quite different, and styles influence fights. I can assure you that Rico is not showing up merely for the financial gain; he is committed to giving his all. He faces a monumental challenge, but he feels no pressure, and neither do I. I’m encouraging him to enjoy this experience, and if he loses, he cannot lose to a better opponent than Usyk.

“We recognize Usyk’s exceptional talent. I’m a realist, and we will do our utmost with the resources we have. However, if people are dismissing Rico, they are completely mistaken.

“It would be the most significant accomplishment for me personally because it would mean a kickboxer defeating the best heavyweight in the world. Tyson’s victory over Klitschko was incredibly special and emotional because he is my nephew, but I am also very close to Rico, so it would hold special significance as well.”

Verhoeven held the GLORY heavyweight title in kickboxing for over a decade and has remained unbeaten since 2015, but he will be a considerable underdog in his first professional boxing match since 2014 against ESPN’s pound-for-pound boxing No. 1 Usyk, who knocked out Daniel Dubois in his last bout to become a two-time undisputed world heavyweight champion.

Usyk has defeated former champions Joshua, Fury, and Dubois twice in a professional career that has seen him hold undisputed world champion titles at both heavyweight and cruiserweight, following his Olympic gold medal win as an amateur.

Peter Fury concedes that Verhoeven’s best opportunity for victory will hinge on landing a knockout against the technically skilled boxing abilities and agile movement of Usyk.

“I believe it will be extremely challenging to defeat Oleksandr Usyk on points,” Fury told ESPN.

“Aiming for a knockout could be risky for Rico, so we need to strike a balance. He will engage in some boxing; he is capable of boxing, but he faces a steep challenge because Usyk can absorb punches and has yet to display any weaknesses. I regard him as an outstanding boxer and a true world champion.

“You can devise the best strategies, but the key is executing those plans and whether you can refine them at a high level. Rico is adaptable, and he is a substantial heavyweight. He possesses agility, considerable power, can be elusive, and can box. He has been sparring with experienced heavyweights like my son Hughie, and many will be surprised by his performance.”

Verhoeven, who will turn 37 on fight night, has trained with Fury to prepare for Usyk at a camp near Rotterdam in his home country of the Netherlands, and they have collaborated for over a decade.

The former heavyweight kickboxing champion stands 6-foot-5 and weighs 270 pounds, giving him height and weight advantages over the six-foot-three Usyk, who weighed in at 227 pounds for his last fight in July.