A highly anticipated kickboxing bout between GLORY heavyweight champion Rico Verhoeven and combat sports legend Alistair Overeem is off, according to a recent statement from a GLORY spokesperson.
The two were set to do battle in the main event of GLORY Collision 3 on October 23, 2021. The “King of Kickboxing” has defended his heavyweight strap nine times in the promotion and hoped to make his 10th defense against Overeem, the former K-1 World Grand Prix Champion.
“The Demolition Man” hasn’t fought inside a kickboxing ring for over a decade, choosing to focus on his MMA career. He spent nearly 10 years competing in the UFC and was let go by the promotion earlier this year. After Overeem was cut, he signed with GLORY and received an instant title fight against Verhoeven.
However, injury has forced Overeem out of the contest.
“Alistair Overeem has incurred an injury and is off the Oct. 23 GLORY kickboxing card and heavyweight title fight vs. Rico Verhoeven,” the statement to Heavy read. “He is expected to make full recovery, and Glory will soon announce an updated fight card for Collision 3.”
A source also confirmed to Heavy that the promotion hopes to find a replacement for Verhoeven.
Heavy’s Stephen McCaugherty spoke with Verhoeven before Overeem had pulled out of the fight, and the interview can be watched below:
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Verhoeven Plans to Hold Onto GLORY Heavyweight Belt for 10 Years Total, ‘Good Chance” He Will Retire & Pursue Acting
During the interview with McCaugherty, the King of Boxing revealed that he hopes to “complete the circle” of holding a GLORY world title for 10 years before possibly retiring to pursue acting, as well as other business ventures.
“If I’m gonna be completely honest with you… for me, the perfect goal would be the circle would be completed if I would be champion for 10 years,” Verhooeven said. “At the end of this contract I have with GLORY, that’s still the end of 2023. And I still have the belt, I think there’s a good chance I will retire then.
“Then I go into acting, I hope, that’s what I’m planning to do. I have so many fun things, fun people that I’m meeting and yeah, it’s just interesting to do so many things business-wise. So I’m also setting up different businesses.
“But the real passion is in acting so let’s hope we can just slowly transition from being an active athlete to being an actor.”
Verhoeven, who hails from the Netherlands, has already acted in several movies and television series, including “De Film van Dylan Haegens” and “Kickboxer: Retaliation.”
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Verhoeven Has Built a Very Impressive Resume in GLORY
The King of Kickboxing hasn’t tasted defeat inside a kickboxing ring since 2015 and he has won his last 20 GLORY bouts in a row, defeating the likes of Badr Hari twice and Jamal Ben Saddik.
Assuming Verhoeven stays on the October 23rd card, he will look to extend his title defense streak to 10.
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Rico Verhoeven vs. Alistair Overeem GLORY Kickboxing Fight Derailed