Rico Verhoeven has officially vacated the GLORY Heavyweight World Title, ending one of the longest and most dominant championship reigns the sport has ever seen.
After more than twelve years with the promotion and fifteen world title victories, the longtime heavyweight king announced the news through a heartfelt Instagram post, writing, “After more than twelve years, fifteen world title victories, and countless unforgettable nights, I’ve decided to vacate my GLORY Heavyweight World Title.” He thanked GLORY’s staff, fans, and investor Pierre Andurand, closing with, “It’s not a goodbye, it’s an ‘until we meet again.’”
Verhoeven joined GLORY in 2012 and quickly became the organization’s defining figure. He won the heavyweight belt in 2014, defending it against every major contender of the era while headlining sold-out shows across Europe. Whether it was his rivalries with Badr Hari and Jamal Ben Saddik or his recent resurgence against Levi Rigters, Verhoeven remained the promotion’s backbone, and its most reliable attraction.
Vacating the belt now leaves GLORY’s heavyweight division wide open for the first time in more than a decade. With the year-long Last Heavyweight Standing opening up the division, the promotion now enters 2026 without their biggest star. As for Verhoeven, he has not revealed what comes next, but his message makes clear that he is not done yet.
It seems unlikely Verhoeven would pursue heavyweight kickboxing opportunities outside of GLORY, but a one-off superfight against a boxing star like Tyson Fury, Francis Ngannou, or Anthony Joshua remains a possibility.
