Rico Verhoeven was almost unknown among boxing fans just a few months ago. Then, a fight between him and Oleksandr Usyk was announced, and people started wondering who that guy is. And why is getting a title shot out of nowhere? To be fair, he doesn’t deserve a shot at Usyk’s belts. But he is getting one anyway. 

But it piqued a lot of curiosity around the fighter. A kickboxer by trade, the 37-year-old has been the poster child for Glory Kickboxing, having fought under their promotional banner for 13 years. Now, he is moving to boxing for a hefty payday. So, here’s everything you need to know about his background—his ethnicity, religion, and nationality.

Where is Rico Verhoeven from, and What is Rico Verhoeven’s Nationality?

The 37-year-old was born on April 10, 1989, in Bergen op Zoom, a city in the southern part of the Netherlands. Growing up there, Verhoeven began training in martial arts at a very young age under the guidance of his father, a karate black belt. Even today, he continues to live in the Netherlands, in Halsteren, surrounded by people he has known his entire life.

Obviously, he represents the Netherlands on the world stage. He completed his schooling at ’t Rijks in Bergen op Zoom while also training in MMA on the side. By the time he attended the TIO University of Applied Sciences to study International Business, he had already made his professional kickboxing debut at just 16 years old.

What is Rico Verhoeven’s ethnicity?

Most people from the Netherlands are ethnically Dutch, and the same is true for Rico Verhoeven. His parents, Jos Verhoeven and Jacqueline Deurloo, also appear to be natives of the Netherlands, making Rico as Dutch as they come. His parents separated when Verhoeven was six years old. Following the separation, he initially lived with his mother in Oud-Vossemeer before later moving in with his father, and his martial arts training began to take shape.

Is Rico Verhoeven Christian? 

Although Rico Verhoeven hasn’t publicly spoken about his religion, he believes in God and faith. A majority of people in the Netherlands don’t traditionally follow a religion, but some groups follow Catholicism, Protestantism, and Islam, among others. Still, unless Verhoeven himself confirms his religion, it’s difficult to say what his religious beliefs are. 

That being said, Rico Verhoeven will represent the Netherlands when he steps into the ring against Oleksandr Usyk on Saturday night at the Pyramids of Giza.