Oleksandr Usyk versus Rico Verhoeven? 'Not a genuine challenge,' says 'disappointed' Fabio Wardley
Fabio Wardley is "disappointed" Oleksandr Usyk didn't take the fight with him, but hopes he could still box the unified champion down the line; Wardley was critical of the prospect of heavyweight kickboxing star Rico Verhoeven fighting Usyk: 'It's not a real, genuine challenge'
Thursday 26 February 2026 06:43, UK
Fabio Wardley has criticised the prospect of Oleksandr Usyk fighting elite kickboxer Rico Verhoeven.
Verhoeven is widely regarded as the best heavyweight kickboxer in the world and dominated the promotion Glory before vacating his kickboxing crown after a remarkable championship reign that dated back to 2013.
Usyk is a two-time undisputed heavyweight champion who's beaten both Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury twice. The Ukrainian hasn't boxed since he knocked out Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium last year.
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Wardley had hoped to fight Usyk himself but became the WBO heavyweight world champion after the Ukrainian vacated that belt.
"I'm hugely disappointed. As proven by this and other fights I want to challenge myself against the best. I want to be in there with some of the best in the world," Wardley told Sky Sports.
There are precedents for crossover bouts like Usyk vs Verhoeven, with Tyson Fury's non-title 10-rounder against former UFC champion Francis Ngannou a high-profile example.
But Wardley feels Usyk should be fighting him rather than an opponent like Verhoeven.
"It's two parts, I'd be disappointed, I don't feel like it's a real genuine challenge nor someone that deserves the shot," he said.
"But I do understand or do concede Usyk is at a point in his career, he has earned the point where he's able to do what he wants for a bit in that sense. He's earned the position to, in that sense, take an easy fight."
While he didn't rule out the prospect of a fight with Usyk still happening down the line, next Wardley puts his title on the line against Daniel Dubois on May 9 in Manchester.
The Wardley-Dubois winner could meet Fury later this year, or perhaps box Usyk to unify the four heavyweight world titles once more. "Maybe that [Fury fight]. Maybe the four belts again, I don't know," promoter Frank Warren said.
Fury and Usyk though could fight each other for a third time. "Usyk and Tyson's a big fight. I'd watch that again," Warren said. "We had a very loose discussion with Usyk's team [about it]. That was a while ago."
Wardley's intends to chase the very best the division has to offer. Speaking of Usyk, he said: "If he's not the one and that one doesn't come off then, look, I'll keep putting myself in good fights, putting on good performances in the hope that he'll one day say yes."
