Rico Verhoeven
Eleven years on Glory's heavyweight throne
- Born
- April 10, 1989, Bergen op Zoom, Netherlands
- Nationality
Netherlands- Height
- 196 cm (6′5″)
- Reach
- 196 cm (6′5″)
- Style
- Technical out-fighter
- Weight
- Heavyweight
- Active
- 2004–present
- Status
- Active · age 37
The record
Kickboxing, per Wikipedia and Glory (Glory now lists him as retired from kickboxing). Pro boxing 1-1 after the TKO 11 loss to Oleksandr Usyk for the WBC heavyweight title on 23 May 2026; MMA 1-0. record
The story
ico Verhoeven started training under his father at five and went on to make the Glory heavyweight title his own for more than a decade. The Bergen op Zoom native won the vacant belt by outpointing Daniel Ghiță in June 2014 and held it until November 2025, setting a promotion record with 13 consecutive defenses, including two stoppages of Badr Hari. Rather than hunting knockouts, he wins with volume and structure: a stiff jab he sharpened with help from Tyson Fury, low kicks, teeps and body kicks that keep bigger punchers at the end of his reach. After leaving Glory he stepped into elite boxing, challenging Oleksandr Usyk for the WBC heavyweight title in Giza in May 2026 and losing on a disputed stoppage in the 11th round.
- Glory Heavyweight champion (2014–2025, record 13 consecutive defenses)
- Glory Heavyweight World Championship Tournament winner (2013)
- Glory 77 Heavyweight Tournament winner (2021)
- Glory Heavyweight Grand Prix winner (2024)
- Glory Fighter of the Year (2017, 2024)
- Glory Knockout of the Year (2017)
- Combat Press Fight of the Year (2024, vs Levi Rigters)
Defining fights
- 2014WINvs Daniel Ghiță (unanimous decision, won vacant Glory heavyweight title)
- 2016WINvs Badr Hari (TKO 2, arm injury)
- 2017WINvs Jamal Ben Saddik (TKO 5)
- 2024WINvs Levi Rigters (TKO 2, Glory Heavyweight Grand Prix final)
- 2026LOSSvs Oleksandr Usyk (TKO 11, boxing, WBC heavyweight title)
Win heavyweight fights at range the way Verhoeven does: drill jab-to-teep and jab-to-low-kick patterns so that whenever an opponent loads up to rush you, a straight shot is already landing.
1972–1999