Oleksandr Usyk has been given permission by the World Boxing Association (WBA) to defend his “Super” heavyweight championship against Rico Verhoeven, a former kickboxing champion. The fight is set for May 23 in Egypt.

The fight, which is scheduled to take place at the famous Pyramids of Giza, is a rare heavyweight crossover match between boxing and kickboxing elites, according to BBC Sport on Thursday.

While the WBA confirmed the fight as a title defence for Usyk, it clarified that Verhoeven will not be eligible to win the belt due to his current lack of ranking within the organisation.

“Should Usyk emerge victorious, the bout will officially count as a successful title defence,” the WBA stated.

“However, since Verhoeven is not currently ranked by the sanctioning body, the title itself will not be at stake for him.”

The governing body added that in the event of an upset defeat for Usyk, its championship committee would review the situation and determine the future of the heavyweight title.

“The WBA championship committee would then review his status and determine the next course of action regarding the heavyweight championship if the champion were to lose,” the statement continued.

Usyk remains unbeaten in 24 professional fights and has previously unified all major belts at heavyweight and cruiserweight, defeating elite opponents including Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, and Daniel Dubois.

The Ukrainian champion has maintained that he has the right to select his opponents, defending his choice to face Verhoeven.

Verhoeven, a prominent kickboxer and former Glory heavyweight champion, has only engaged in one professional boxing bout, which happened in 2014.

The bout is expected to draw global attention due to its unusual pairing and historic setting at one of the world’s most recognisable landmarks.