Ready for something unusual this weekend? The GOAT of boxing Oleksandr Usyk will go head-to-head with legendary kickboxer Rico Verhoeven in front of the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt. If that wasn’t enough to entertain you, I’ve found three juicy bets to spice up Saturday’s event. Let’s jump in!
Oleksandr Usyk vs Rico Verhoeven Fight Card Betting Tips
Last weekend was simply awesome. After successfully backing Hrgovic to stop Dave Allen in Doncaster, I then landed a 4/1 acca on the Ronda Rousey vs Gina Carano Netflix MMA card. Things can only go downhill from here… right?
Following that up will not be easy, but I have found three tasty bets ahead of Saturday’s huge fight card in Egypt. You can find the selections below, alongside tasty odds from one of the best online bookies, MyStake.
| Fight | Market | Odds (Bookmaker) |
|---|---|---|
| Oleksandr Usyk vs Rico Verhoeven | Usyk to Win Rounds 7-12 | 9/4 (MyStake) |
| Hamzah Sheeraz vs Alem Begic | Sheeraz to Win Rounds 1-3 | 23/10 (MyStake) |
| Jack Catterall vs Shakhram Giyasov | Catterall to Win on Points | 4/6 (MyStake) |
*All odds on this page are correct at 13:00 BST on 19/05/2025. Odds subject to change.
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Bet 1: Oleksandr Usyk vs Rico Verhoeven – Usyk to Win in Rounds 7-12
Saturday’s main event is essentially a fight between two of the nicest and baddest men on the planet.
Just watch the way both men conduct themselves and speak to the media. They are consummate professionals without any ill-will towards each other.
But here’s the thing, Usyk should win this fight with ease. Boxing is his domain, and he has already dealt with some of the perceived disadvantages he’s likely to experience this weekend.
However, I’m not expecting an early blowout. Usyk has repeatedly referred to this event as a “show” during the build-up, and he’s experienced enough to understand the occasion.
Rather than forcing an early finish, he’s more likely to take his time, establish control behind his movement and accuracy, and gradually break Verhoeven down.
What’s more, an Usyk win in the second half of the fight is one of the few bets that offers half-decent odds.
Bet 2: Hamzah Sheeraz vs Alem Begic – Sheeraz to Win in Rounds 1-3
Britain’s Hamzah Sheeraz will be looking to claim the vacant WBO super-middleweight title when he takes on… checks notes… Alem Begic.
I’m not sure if anyone in the boxing fraternity has ever heard of Begic, given this will be his first fight outside of a German-speaking country since his debut in 2014.
No offence to the Munich native, he has done well to become a European champion. However, after watching some of his recent fights on YouTube (at least the one or two you can actually find), Begic is in serious trouble.
The German tends to keep his chin right up in the air, and it won’t be long before Sheeraz finds the target and leaves him on the canvas.
Sheeraz in three rounds is priced at 23/10. Yeah, I’ll have some of that. Thank you MyStake.
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Bet 3: Jack Catterall vs Shakhram Giyasov – Catterall to Win on Points
This is arguably the most competitive fight on the card, and it comes in the welterweight division – a division which has stalled in recent years because none of the top guns want to fight each other.
Jack Catterall will be looking to inch closer towards a world title shot when he takes on a dangerous opponent in Shakhram Giyasov.
Since linking up with high-profile boxing trainer Derek Ennis, it’s fair to say that Catterall looks more dangerous than ever.
El Gato heads into Saturday as the favourite, but one thing’s for sure: Giyasov should not be easily underestimated.
With an undefeated 17-0 record and 10 stoppages to his name, the Uzbekistan-born boxer is making waves in the division.
There’s not a lot of value to be found when looking at the markets, but the one bet that does stand out is a Catterall win on points. Priced at 4/6, I’m backing El Gato to do the business.
