Rico Verhoeven: The Brabantian Bulldozer-The Locomotive of the Lowlands-The King of Kickboxing.

Discussion in 'World Boxing Forum' started by CST80, Jun 8, 2026.


  1. AlwaysFirst

    AlwaysFirst Well-Known Member Full Member

    2,252
    1,921
    Nov 28, 2015
    Although the Badr fights was good wins, Badr was way past his prime and came from a bunch of injuries. Badr fought 7 more times without a win after the first Rico fight.
     
  2. Kiwi Casual

    Kiwi Casual Boxing Addict Full Member

    5,180
    6,609
    Jul 31, 2021
    So has AJ and Dubios. They fold like ****ing lawn chairs under pressure.
     
    CST80 likes this.
  3. AlwaysFirst

    AlwaysFirst Well-Known Member Full Member

    2,252
    1,921
    Nov 28, 2015
    True, but they do punch very hard and Rico has a tendency to not take punches well. Rico looks like a Greek God but seems to lack power so the odds are in AJ and DD’s favor. To be fair to DD, the only time he have “folded under pressure” is against Usyk, in other fights he have taken pressure well.

    I hate these kickboxing/mma vs boxing fights.
     
  4. Kiwi Casual

    Kiwi Casual Boxing Addict Full Member

    5,180
    6,609
    Jul 31, 2021
    Yet Rico performed better than both against Usyk, their common opponent.

    I'd honestly love to see both fights happen so we can drive that final nail in about how AJ and Dubios are horrendously overrated. There's more to boxing than just punching hard.
     
    BCS8 likes this.
  5. Yorbals

    Yorbals Boxing Addict Full Member

    3,254
    2,936
    Jul 28, 2025
    Usyk has only beaten old cocaine and beer Fury and big stiff AJ.
    Feed Rico or Usyk to Itauma then you finally see some boxing skill.
    Levels
     
  6. CST80

    CST80 The Hesitant Nihilist Staff Member

    260,724
    265,079
    Nov 23, 2013
    :risas3:
     
    BCS8 likes this.
  7. Yorbals

    Yorbals Boxing Addict Full Member

    3,254
    2,936
    Jul 28, 2025
    We can laugh but I think Moses beats any of them now.
    Usyk is too slow now. As for Verhoeven barrelling in doing his best Hank Evans impression, it won’t end welll for him!
     
  8. CST80

    CST80 The Hesitant Nihilist Staff Member

    260,724
    265,079
    Nov 23, 2013
    For **** sake.... Itauma has beaten Jermaine Franklin, Dillian Whyte's corpse and Demsey McKean. Which means, he's beaten no one of note. Let that truly sink in. Now pump the brakes.
     
    Serge likes this.
  9. Yorbals

    Yorbals Boxing Addict Full Member

    3,254
    2,936
    Jul 28, 2025
    True but I’m not sure any of the others KO even that corpse of Whyte in the first round.
    I hope we get to see Usyk v Itauma. I don’t like to hear Usyk say things like he doesn’t want to ruin this young whipper snapper Moses as an excuse not to fight him, he must know full well Itauma would at the least be a serious problem for him
     
  10. CST80

    CST80 The Hesitant Nihilist Staff Member

    260,724
    265,079
    Nov 23, 2013
    Anyone would've KO'd that blobby mess that showed up. Itauma has proved nothing and beaten no one. There's zero evidence Itauma is a serious problem for him. He's just another hype job being blown out of proportion, just like that other boogeyman Fabio Wardley. It's not even a guarantee he gets past Hrgovic.
     
    Serge likes this.
  11. Barrf

    Barrf Boxing Addict Full Member

    7,177
    10,838
    Sep 19, 2021
    the whole point of the Hrgovic fight is as a true test for Ituama. If he blasts Hrgovic out in 3-5 rounds, he’s ready for anybody. If he’s a hype job, Hrgovic will show us where he’s lacking and win.
     
  12. Yorbals

    Yorbals Boxing Addict Full Member

    3,254
    2,936
    Jul 28, 2025
    There’s more evidence than there was for A kick-boxer being a serious problem for him, and that kick-boxer was a serious problem for him.
    Let’s see with Hrgovic. Itauma in the 6th is my shoe-in of the week
     
  13. CST80

    CST80 The Hesitant Nihilist Staff Member

    260,724
    265,079
    Nov 23, 2013
    Not in my opinion, I was far more worried about the threat Rico posed, precisely due to how unorthodox he is. Itauma brings nothing to the able that Usyk hasn't seen before.
     
    Serge likes this.
  14. BCS8

    BCS8 VIP Member

    66,098
    86,957
    Aug 21, 2012
    Just wait till people see the first ten fights of this absolute monster called Alen Babic! He cannot be beat, I tell you. :yaay
     
  15. kirk

    kirk l l l Staff Member

    71,690
    29,268
    Jul 26, 2004
    Im a fan.

    Wish he would have come sooner.

    I was fearing he was going to give Usyk a tough fight because (beside Usyks age) people don't really seem to understand that kickboxing isnt mma. The guys Rico beat to become champion and remain so for a decade, were all striking specialists.

    And so for him to show that level of quality for that long, with that level of experience, brings a level of pedigree that can be a formidable task when youre the older, smaller guy coming in at your heaviest ever weight.

    Anyways, I do think Rico might have benefited a bit more than many think with Usyks condition, size and power, I can foresee a possible Ngannou situation where if he fights the likes of DD, Moses or AJ, it wouldn't shock me if he gets Ngannoud.

    But it wouldn't shock me if he won either.


    Dudes a unit and a champion level fighter. Also a rare degree of honesty, humility and class.

    I hope his next fight is against Ngannou in a boxing match, would be an interesting clash imo.

    After that him vs Moses could be a nice fight for both guys and I think it could be a big event.
     
    Serge, BCS8 and CST80 like this.