After labeling it “WBC Special Event,” Mauricio Sulaiman and his team have decided to turn the Oleksandr Usyk vs. Rico Verhoeven fight into a world title defense. The shift, communicated through an official statement, has the legacy sanctioning body facing heavy criticism. Usyk, who holds the WBC, WBA, and IBF belts in the heavyweight division, will face Verhoeven, GLORY’s longest-reigning champion, on May 23 in Giza, Egypt.

“After careful consideration, the WBC Board of Governors has ruled in favor of sanctioning WBC World Heavyweight Champion Oleksandr Usyk’s voluntary title defense against legendary kickboxing champion Rico Verhoeven,” the opening paragraph of the WBC’s statement read. “At its 63rd Annual Convention in Bangkok, Thailand, the WBC granted Champion Usyk a voluntary defense. Subsequently, the WBC received a petition to sanction the Usyk v. Herhoeven (Verhoeven) fight as a voluntary defense.”

Oleksandr Usyk‘s latest matchup has generated significant buzz across the boxing world. He steps into the ring almost 10 months after he became an undisputed champion for the third time. After not moving forward with the WBO-ordered defense against Joseph Parker and the eventual obligation involving Fabio Wardley, Usyk vacated the belt.

This controversial sanctioning leaves the legitimate heavyweight contenders completely stranded. WBC interim heavyweight champion Agit Kabayel has to sit out for a while longer to get his hands on Usyk’s belt, with a kickboxer skipping the line for a title fight. These kinds of fights set a dangerous precedent where novelty matchups and deep pockets carry more weight than an earned mandatory ranking.

Talks started for a matchup against former WBC champion Deontay Wilder, but Wilder eventually chose to fight Derek Chisora instead. With that option off the table, Turki Alalshikh expressed interest in a bout between Usyk and Verhoeven, though the WBC president initially expressed bewilderment, stating that he had barely heard of the kickboxer.

What’s baffling about this fight is Rico Verhoeven’s boxing credentials. Even though he’s among the legends of kickboxing with 76 career fights, the Dutchman has barely competed professionally as a boxer. Fast-tracking a fighter with such limited experience to a heavyweight title shot prioritizes lucrative spectacles over established divisional contenders.

Meanwhile, the WBC previously found itself at the center of controversies in which two of boxing’s biggest names – Terence Crawford and Shakur Stevenson – were stripped of their titles for nonpayment of sanctioning fees. In that context, the switch to total compliance with Usyk’s title defense left many surprised.

Here’s how some of them reacted.

WBC’s Sudden Pivot on Oleksandr Usyk vs. Rico Verhoeven Raises Eyebrows

One fan immediately referenced the sanctioning fee controversy involving the WBC. “After careful sanctioning fees talk, we decided that yes, we want those fees,” they wrote. In light of the issues involving Bud Crawford and Shakur Stevenson, the Mexico City-based organization’s recent decisions have drawn renewed scrutiny. The latest shift related to Usyk amplifies those concerns; it appeared less about rules or merit.

Echoing similar sentiments, one added, “It’s a farce, but Usyk earned it.”

A sarcastic note followed: “Y’all gonna get that $ by any means. I respect the hustle.” The sanctioning body may argue that a significant portion of the fee supports the Boxers’ Fund, “to former fighters in need.” Even so, the abrupt change in stance has fueled skepticism.

Even the WBC’s communications team came under scrutiny. One fan highlighted the spelling discrepancy in the official statement: “Herhoeven? Did no one proofread this post?”

A user offered a more nuanced take: “Turki must have offered them a lot of money to retract what they said about it not being for the belt. He knows they can do better numbers if they can say it’s for the title.” Considering the card falls under Turki Alalshikh-owned Ring Magazine, significant commercial stakes are involved.

The WBC’s pivot has turned the Usyk-Verhoeven fight from a slideshow into a sanctioned title defense, and it’s sparked a question: Who are the rules really for? When this fight takes place, the credibility is on the line for everyone in the boxing fraternity.