One professional boxing fight. That is Verhoeven’s entire record going into May 23, a single 2014 bout against an opponent who had never won professionally. Those heading to boxing bet ireland markets on this card will find Usyk at 1/12 and Verhoeven at 17/1, a pricing gap that tracks directly to what the records show. Oleksandr Usyk has fought 206 rounds, knocked out Daniel Dubois at Wembley nine months ago, and holds every major heavyweight belt on the market. Verhoeven has spent two rounds in a professional boxing ring in his life.
What the Price of 1/12 Tells You
Usyk at -2000 to -3000 in American lines is as short as you will see for a scheduled 12-round heavyweight title fight. The question bettors are actually sitting with is not the winner market. It is the finish market. Bookmakers have set the fight-not-going-the-distance line at 11/100 for “no”. Usyk by KO/TKO has opened around -900 on some platforms.
24-0 with 15 knockouts, against 1-0 with one. Verhoeven has spent two rounds in a professional boxing ring in his career.
Style, Size and What Transfers From Kickboxing
The Glory heavyweight title for 11 years. Thirteen defenses. A 26-fight winning streak. Verhoeven’s kickboxing record is legitimate by any measure — he is physically bigger than Usyk too, 2 inches taller with a 1-inch reach advantage and an orthodox stance against a southpaw. He does not fold under pressure.
What he does not have is a boxing career. Leg kicks and wide kickboxing clinch work are not tools that survive the transition without rebuilding the whole game. Usyk’s angles have exposed every credible heavyweight he has faced; the footwork that troubled Fury twice is not something Verhoeven has encountered in any form of competition.
The Ngannou Parallel and Why It Only Goes So Far
Turki Alalshikh is behind this card, same as he was behind Fury vs Ngannou in October 2023. That fight is the first thing most people bring up, and fair enough — Ngannou entered at +550 and put Fury on the canvas before a competitive split decision.
Ngannou was an active MMA competitor with boxing sessions in professional camps. Verhoeven’s last boxing bout was 12 years ago against an 0-5 opponent. Fury also struggled with Ngannou’s power and came into that fight in poor conditioning. None of those variables repeat here. The Ngannou comparison is understandable; it just does not carry the same weight when the crossover fighter has not boxed since 2014.
Full Card on May 23 at the Pyramids
| Fight | Title | Records |
| Usyk vs Verhoeven | WBC, IBF, WBO heavyweight | 24-0 vs 1-0 |
| Sheeraz vs Begic | WBO super-middleweight vacant | 22-0 vs 29-0-1 |
| Catterall vs Giyasov | WBO welterweight | 32-2 vs 16-0 |
| Sanchez vs Torrez Jr | Heavyweight contender | 25-1 vs unbeaten |
Where the Value on This Card Sits
Hamzah Sheeraz at 22-0 against the unbeaten Alem Begic for the vacant WBO super-middleweight title is the fight bettors following the undercard have been tracking. Both fighters are undefeated and the title is genuinely up for grabs. Jack Catterall against Shakhram Giyasov carries WBO welterweight stakes on the same night. You can pull up method of victory, round, and undercard markets for the full card before ringwalks on May 23.
