Rico Verhoeven Explains Why Kickboxing Is Tougher Than Boxing

Verhoeven compared the physical punishment of kickboxing and boxing while preparing for his heavyweight fight with Oleksandr Usyk in Egypt live on DAZN PPV

Rico Verhoeven believes kickboxing requires a different level of toughness than boxing after spending months preparing for Oleksandr Usyk. The longtime kickboxing champion pointed to the physical punishment from kicks and the mental pace of boxing as the biggest differences between the two sports.

“I think it’s tougher to transition from boxing to kickboxing. There’s a certain amount of pain you gotta endure as a kickboxer that’s just different,” said Verhoeven to DAZN ahead of the Usyk fight card at the Pyramids of Giza.

“It’s different getting a shin to the thigh, or a shin to the arm. That’s bone on bone. Boxers wear gloves, and you get punched in the face, and you get punched in the stomach, and it’s not nice, but it’s different. It’s protected. A shin bone to the forehead, it’s a different type of toughness.”

Verhoeven, who owns a 66-10 kickboxing record and is only entering his second professional boxing bout, said the sport itself also demands a different kind of mental approach compared to the faster pace of kickboxing fights.

“Something we found out during this camp, the difficulty with boxing, is the art of how long it is, you can flow with it way more,” Verhoeven said.

“With kickboxing, it’s pedal to the metal, three rounds or five rounds,” said Rico. “In boxing, you have to go with the flow of 12 rounds. Sometimes you feel good, sometimes you feel bad, and you have to deal with all these emotions throughout 12 rounds.”

Verhoeven will challenge undefeated heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk in the main event of “Glory in Giza” on DAZN. Despite the massive challenge in front of him, the longtime kickboxing champion believes his background prepared him for the physical punishment better than most crossover fighters.

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