WBA approves Oleksandr Usyk heavyweight title defence against Rico Verhoeven

Oleksandr Usyk has been granted permission by the World Boxing Association to defend his heavyweight title against Rico Verhoeven in Egypt on 23 May.

The unified champion is scheduled to face the former Glory kickboxing titleholder in a highly anticipated crossover bout staged at the pyramids of Giza.

While the World Boxing Council had already sanctioned the contest, uncertainty remained over whether the 39-year-old’s WBA and IBF belts would also be involved.

Unusual stipulations for unranked challenger

The WBA has now clarified that the fight will officially count as a successful defence should the undefeated Ukrainian emerge victorious.

However, the title itself will not be at stake for Verhoeven, as he is currently not ranked by the sanctioning body.

If the champion were to lose, the WBA championship committee would then review his status and determine the next course of action regarding the heavyweight championship.

BBC Sport has contacted the International Boxing Federation to establish whether they will adopt a similar stance for their championship belt.

A clash of combat sport eras

The sanctioning body also confirmed that the Dutch kickboxer would become eligible to enter their heavyweight rankings if he manages to pull off a monumental upset.

Verhoeven carries a fearsome reputation in the kickboxing world, but the 37-year-old has only competed in one professional boxing match, which took place over a decade ago in 2014.

In stark contrast, his opponent boasts a flawless 24-0 professional record and is a two-time undisputed heavyweight king.

Champion defends crossover bout

The 2012 Olympic gold medallist recently pushed back against criticism regarding the unconventional matchup.

Having already vanquished top-tier rivals including Tyson Fury, Daniel Dubois, and Anthony Joshua on two occasions, the former undisputed cruiserweight champion stated he should be allowed to dictate his own career path.