Oleksandr Usyk is set to face Dutch kick‑boxing heavyweight Rico Verhoeven on Saturday under the Pyramids of Giza. The bout is already a headline, but boxing insiders focus on the next steps once the Ukrainian clears the Dutchman. A win would lock in a string of mandatory defenses that could reshape the division for fans.

The World Boxing Council has ordered a mandatory clash with unbeaten German Agit Kabayel. If Usyk refuses, he risks losing the WBC belt. After that, the WBA title will likely fall to Russian Murat Gassiev, the current number‑one contender who lost to the Ukrainian in 2018 at cruiserweight in the heavyweight division for future fights.

Promoter Eddie Hearn says several British heavyweights—Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury, Daniel Dubois—will chase Usyk after he clears his mandatories. Emerging talent Moses Itauma could also become a mandatory. Hearn believes the Ukrainian will choose his opponents, prioritising legacy over purse, and that retirement is unlikely as long as he remains hungry in the ring today.

If Usyk defeats Verhoeven, he will carry the WBC, WBA and IBF heavyweight crowns into a gauntlet of mandatory challengers. The outcomes will determine whether the Ukrainian can sustain his undisputed reign or face a reshuffle of the heavyweight hierarchy. The boxing world watches, knowing the next fight will set the division’s direction for fans.