It’s a setting most befitting for a king. While Oleksandr Usyk gears up to defend his unified heavyweight crown in a rather peculiar title consolidation, the scene in front of the pyramids in Giza is already drawing strong reactions online.

“What a setup here at the Pyramids of Giza for Oleksandr Usyk vs. Rico Verhoeven 🌅,” read a tweet from Ring Magazine.

The post featured a ten-second clip created for the DAZN card promoted by Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing. With the pyramids visible in the background, the scale of the backdrop stands out, along with seating arrangements for spectators surrounding the ring on three sides.

Despite the spectacle, a few fans couldn’t help but notice the conditions under which the fighters will compete today.

The card itself carries added weight, as Oleksandr Usyk is set to defend his Ring Magazine and WBC titles against Rico Verhoeven, with three title fights featured on the main card, including the co-main event.

That scale has also shaped the scheduling, with preliminary fights kicking off at 5 pm local time (10 am ET) to align with global viewing. By the time the main event arrives, the evening conditions are expected to be cooler.

Even so, not everyone seems convinced by the setup. The event, backed by Turki Alalshikh’s Riyadh Season and Ring, also comes in the context of last year’s card headlined by Ryan Garcia’s comeback fight at New York’s Times Square, which drew attention for incidents both inside and outside the ring.

That background appears to be influencing some of the early reactions this time around.

Giza setting for Usyk VS Verhoeven Divides fans

“Man, how hot is it?” one asked bluntly. Another wrote, “I’m struggling in the UK due to the heat; I wonder how these guys gonna feel.”

A broader concern emerging from the discussion is the environmental adjustment itself. Most fighters on the main card come from cooler regions in Europe, Asia, and elsewhere, raising questions about how they will adapt as Egypt moves into its hottest month of July.

At the same time, some fans pushed back on the criticism. As one stated, “It’s pretty historic and epic, but (I) do wish they could have been a bit closer to the pyramids.” That point also comes with practical limits, since the pyramids are globally protected historic monuments, and the scale of production and crowd size likely required organizers to keep the stage at a safe distance.

From there, reactions started to split further. “Pyramids is fitting; Rico’s about to get buried under Usyk’s footwork. Glory in Giza got the right man for the job,” wrote one fan.

Another added, “Looks way better than Times Square.” The comparison with the May 2 Fatal Fury card in New York is fair, though boxing events are generally structured around the scale and profile of the card. The bigger the headliner, the larger the production.

Still, not all reactions were positive. One user wrote, “It’s a right sh*t tip though. Sticking a ring there won’t change that.” As is often the case in boxing discussions, the real judgment tends to come once the event actually unfolds.

How the DAZN pay-per-view performs, along with the gate and overall reception, will ultimately determine whether staging a card at a historic site like this is viewed as a success or a misstep.

For now, attention remains on the spectacle itself. Not many fight nights take place in a setting like this, and while similar attempts have been made before, this one stands out for its scale and backdrop.

As Matchroom Boxing’s X post put it, “One of the most incredible fight night settings 🤩,” and all eyes now shift to what could become one of the most unusual nights on the boxing calendar this year.