Boxing footage showed Verhoeven in the lead from the start. He walked down with Fury, ignoring the constant feints and continuing to work his way closer to landing. Fury was circling, jabbing and flashing Ali-esque moves through camp, while Verhoeven continued to get involved without hesitation.

He’s connected too. Several right hands landed cleanly, and at times, Fury tied him up to slow things down. Verhoeven’s approach was very different from that seen in Dusseldorf later that year, a willingness to push the movement and accept risks.

Comparisons to Klitschko’s performance later that year were inevitable. Klitschko approached the fight in Dusseldorf cautiously, circling and waiting but rarely committing to sustained combinations. Fury’s movement and activity disrupted the rhythm and resulted in a decision in a limited engagement. Champions never assert themselves with authority.

Verhoeven’s instincts in the gym are different. He pushed forward, tested range, and accepted the exchange rather than relinquishing the initiative. That disposition is now part of the discussion as he is scheduled to challenge Usyk in a WBC-sanctioned voluntary defense on May 23 at the Pyramids of Giza. Verhoeven has no professional boxing record and the sanctioning framework allows the champion to choose a willing opponent outside of the mandatory rotation, which is how the fight was sanctioned.

Usyk is just the better fighter. He has the benefit of a long amateur career, facing many high-level fighters. Rico doesn’t have any of that going in his favor and needs to focus on using his strength and toughness to win.

If Verhoeven had stayed out, he would have been picked by Usyk. His only real option is to get to Usyk’s face from the first bell and deal with the punches it takes to get him there. While this aggressive style can create openings and turn a fight into a wreck, maintaining this intensity for half an hour against a champion accustomed to this level of fatigue can be tiring.

Usyk is the favorite because he has the stamina to last longer than anyone else. Whether Verhoeven can pull off an upset will all depend on how much impact he can have in the early minutes, and whether he can still throw with power in the later rounds when his lungs start to burn.

Unseen Footage: As Rico Verhoeven prepares to fight Oleksandr Usyk for the WBC heavyweight title, relive what happened during Verhoeven’s 2015 fight with Tyson Fury against Wladimir Klitschko 💥 pic.twitter.com/lsLZXQzzns

— Sky Sports Boxing (@SkySportsBoxing) March 3, 2026