Oleksandr Usyk’s next defense of his WBC heavyweight title, which occurs in Giza, Egypt, on May 23, was today described as “iconic”, “an absolute spectacle”, “record-breaking” and a “fantasy that’s come to life”.

Some of the hyperbole was, of course, a nod to the setting as opposed to the fight which, if all goes to plan, will take place at the foot of the famous pyramids.

There was also a lot of tiptoeing around the truth, at a media event designed to drum up interest in a blatant mismatch, that the Ukrainian legend’s opponent, Rico Verhoeven, has next to no chance of winning.

The career kickboxer has boxing experience of sorts, however. Most famously, he used to regularly spar an up-and-coming Tyson Fury. He’s also had a professional contest but that it occurred in 2014, against an 0-5 Janos Finfera, makes the 37-year-old’s 1-0 (1 KO) record somewhat inconsequential. The Dutchman is here purely for his, admittedly considerable, prowess in another combat discipline.

Since Verhoeven's debut, Usyk has cleaned out the cruiserweight class to achieve ‘undisputed’ status and repeated the feat twice at heavyweight, a division in which he can boast two wins over each of Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois.

Peter Fury, Verhoeven’s trainer, talked up his charge’s chances against the 24-0 (15 KOs) pound-for-pound leader of the sport.

“We go back a long way, about 15 years, I’ve always done the boxing-side of his training,” Fury said of Verhoeven at the London press conference.

“If ever there is a guy that likes to climb Mount Everest, it is Rico Verhoeven. He’s a phenomenal person, like Usyk. Of course it’s a difficult challenge.”

Eddie Hearn, there on the side of the challenger who had previously signed to fight Anthony Joshua prior to the Englishman surviving a tragic car crash, took the baton from Fury and ran with it. “What [Verhoeven] has is dynamite in both hands and hands like shovels,” said the natural-born promoter. “This man has a pyramid to climb. But I look in his eyes and he’s coming to win.”

Usyk, typically mischievous and charismatic, explained why – as the world heavyweight champion – he accepted this fight when other opponents, like Agit Kabayel and Fabio Wardley, were overlooked.

“I feel good,” said the 39-year-old. “For me, it’s a challenge. A lot of people say, ‘why are you not fighting a boxer?’ Please, one time, I want to do what I want not what is needed. Always I do what is needed. But now I do what I want.

“He’s a fighter, I feel serious for this fight… There is no pressure for me, this is just a boxing fight. I will prepare for this fight. Everything [will be] okay.

“I love boxing, [but] more [I love] my life. I love boxing because it’s an instrument that God gave me. It helped me look for friends, team, a lot of people who now help each other. Boxing is great. But I love life. Life is great.”

Verhoeven, showing no fear, is enjoying his time here, too.

“What an opportunity we have to upset the world and write history,” he said. “To be the very best at what you’re doing you have to be a little bit crazy and obsessed with what you’re doing.

“I love it, I do it with so much passion and I’m crazy happy to be here. We’re bringing new eyeballs to combat sports and bring two worlds colliding together, boxing and kickboxing.”

So how exactly does he plan to achieve the impossible?

“The puzzle of boxing, Oleksandr solves multiple times, too many times,” Verhoeven said. “But he hasn’t solved this puzzle yet. I am going to bring different angles, kickboxing angles.”

Warming to the task of talking up his chances, Verhoeven added: “When I land my best punch on him, of course he will go down. If I land my best punch clean, he is a built-up cruiserweight, there is a 20-kilo weight difference.”

When asked for a response to his opponent’s foresight, Usyk made the most telling statement of the entire event. “We’ll see,” he said.