Rico Verhoeven’s position in the heavyweight rankings looks even more unusual when comparing the views of boxing’s governing bodies with those of the sport’s leading statistics website.
Verhoeven’s rating with the WBC came after the organization placed the Dutchman at number eight in its latest heavyweight rankings.
The move followed the WBA’s decision to install Verhoeven at number 15 just over a week after his performance against Oleksandr Usyk in Giza.
The change of month allowed both sanctioning bodies to react quickly to Verhoeven’s showing beneath the Pyramids.
Rico Verhoeven Ranking
However, 24 hours after those ratings became public, BoxRec stood firm with its own assessment.
Despite receiving top-ten recognition from the WBC and a top-15 position from the WBA, Verhoeven remains ranked number 1,419 in the world by BoxRec.
Even more surprisingly, Verhoeven currently sits 209 places below 23-year-old Bosnian heavyweight Miladin Vranjes, who is still searching for his first professional victory at 0-26.
BoxRec also lists Verhoeven as the eighth-best heavyweight in Holland, one place behind Wahhab Ahmed, aka The Gentleman Warrior.
BoxRec Assessment
BoxRec’s position reflects the reality that Verhoeven has boxed only twice in the past twelve years. His professional record consists of a victory over a 0-5 opponent and a spirited performance against Usyk that ultimately ended in an eleventh-round stoppage defeat.
Not everyone has agreed with the speed of Verhoeven’s rise.
Veteran boxing journalist Fernando Sabatini questioned the ranking after it was announced, pointing to Verhoeven’s limited boxing experience despite his competitive display against Usyk.
“With just two fights in 12 years and a very good performance against one of the worst versions of Oleksandr Usyk, Rico Verhoeven positioned himself at No. 8 in the WBC and 15 in the WBA heavyweight rankings.”
“Boxing is very generous with some; unfair with others.”
Whether fans side with the WBC and WBA or with BoxRec’s statistical approach, Verhoeven’s position remains one of the most debated talking points to emerge from the fallout of his controversial defeat in Egypt.
About the Author
Phil Jay is the Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a veteran boxing reporter with 15+ years of experience. He has interviewed world champions, broken international exclusives, and reported ringside since 2010. His work is distributed across major platforms, including Apple News. Read full bio.
