OLEKSANDR USYK has been so focused in his training camp to fight Rico Verhoeven that he has banned his phone and family from the gym.
Usyk defends his WBC heavyweight world title against the kickboxing great
Oleksandr Usyk in training to fight Rico Verhoeven Credit: Instagram
Serbian giant Sanel Hasanovic has been his main sparring partner Credit: Instagram
Hasanovic has been sparring Usyk for his last seven fights Credit: Instagram
Verhoeven, despite being undefeated in over ten years, has had just ONE professional boxing bout.
It makes him Usyk’s least imposing opponent on paper – but the two-weight undisputed champion does not see it that way.
Serbian giant Sanel Hasanovic, who stands nearly 6ft 9in, has been Usyk’s chief sparring partner for his last seven bouts.
And he said the pound-for-pound great has never looked so serious in his career – cutting out any and all distractions from the camp.
Hasanovic, through a translator, told SunSport: “Usyk is only focused on camp.
“Usyk has no family in camp, no wife, no children. He’s alone with his team in one house.
“In the past, all camp we hang each other, go for dinner. But this camp, Usyk seems he’s focused totally on his opponent on Rico.
“We are hanging in the gym, but after gym he’s been totally focused just for preparing.
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There's a massive year of boxing ahead!
It’s shaping up to be a blockbuster year of action inside the boxing ring.
takes on the king of kickboxing Rico Verhoeven and Fabio Wardley will defend his newly won heavyweight crown against fellow Brit .
returns to the ring in July to face Kristian Prenga ahead of a potential blockbuster bout against Tyson Fury later in the year.
will be hoping to make a comeback after his defeat to Terence Crawford, while Dave Allen will also be looking to get back to winning ways against Filip Hrgovic.
A whole bunch of British stars could also take a leap into superstardom, with the likes of , Hamzah Sheeraz and Adam Azim ready to join the very top of the sport.
May
- Sat 23 – Oleksandr Usyk vs Rico Verhoeven – WBC title – DAZN
- Sat 30 – Dmitry Bivol vs Michael Eifert – DAZN
- Sat 30 – Adam Azim vs Steve Claggett – DAZN
June
- Sat 6 – Fame Fighting v Misfits Boxing – The Sun
- Sat 6 – Dalton Smith vs Alberto Puello – WBC super lightweight title – DAZN
- Sat 6 – Chris Billam-Smith vs Ryan Rozicki – Paramount+
- Sat 13 – Tommy Fury vs Eddie Hall – DAZN
- Sat 13 – Antonio Vargas vs Jesse “Bam” Rodrigues – DAZN
- Sat 20 – Ryan Garner vs Michael Magnesi – DAZN
- Sat 27 – Xander Zayas vs Jaron Ennis – DAZN
July
- Sat 25 – Anthony Joshua vs Kristian Prenga – DAZN
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“I never see him use his phone in training. It’s very good, he is very disciplined with a good team.”
Sergey Lapin is one of Usyk’s closest confidants and helps run the camp – and backed up Hasanovic’s verdict.
Lapin said: “Oleksandr is focused every time on his opponent. This is boxing, if you’re not focused it is bad.
“There’s no family, no phone. We focus only on boxing.”
Usyk has not had his wife or kids in the gym with him Credit: instagram/@usykaa
Usyk facing off with Rico Verhoeven Credit: Getty
Despite his thin boxing record, Verhoeven is no stranger to the sport having been trained by
He was also a long-time sparring partner of Fury’s – the man Usyk famously beat twice in 2024.
And Verhoeven’s greatest asset is his 6ft 4in and 19 STONE frame – with focusing on strength in his camp.
Hasanovic revealed: “He’s just moving his power and punch power forward and forward and every camp Usyk is pushing the limits.
“And it seems like he’s stronger every camp. Our first two or three weeks were technical sparring and later it goes up and up.
“Our last sparring very strong, a war. With me four rounds only, but war. Very, very crazy last sparring.”
Hasanovic did not make it into round five of his final sparring session with Usyk – and he doubts Verhoeven will either.
He said: “Rico, I think will be finished in two or three rounds.”
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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