Could Rico Land Another World Heavyweight Title Shot?

Rico Verhoeven (1-1) could be in line for another world heavyweight title shot, with Agit Kabayel’s (27-0, 19 KOs) manager Spencer Brown floating the Dutchman as a potential voluntary defense for the new WBC champion in Germany.

Verhoeven, 37, almost upset Oleksandr Usyk in May, building a lead on one judge’s scorecard through ten rounds before being stopped in the eleventh after a knockdown — with the bell having already sounded, a finish that remains disputed. The performance earned him entry into the WBC rankings at No. 8, and with Usyk now vacating his three titles and Kabayel upgraded from interim to full WBC champion, a path back to a title shot has opened up quickly.

“Holland’s very close to Germany — it’s an hour away. Verhoeven would bring massive support, and I think that would fill 50,000 in Germany. It’s a sensible fight. I thought Verhoeven put up an unbelievable performance. I’d never seen anything like it,” Brown