The King of Kickboxing looks to protect his throne once again as Rico Verhoeven takes on former light heavyweight champion Artem Vakhitov.
Verhoeven has been the face of GLORY’s heavyweight division since 2014, after defeating Romania’s Daniel Ghita at GLORY 17. Since that day, he has been undefeated in GLORY, amassing eight wins in non-title bouts alongside his twelve title defenses.
His opponent, former light heavyweight kingpin Artem Vakhitov, is returning to kickboxing after a brief crossover to MMA, where he earned a UFC contract via Dana White's Tuesday Night Contender Series and looked to be setting up a future fight with old rival Alex Pereira in the octagon.
However, on March 25, 2025, it was reported that Vakhitov declined his UFC contract and had re-signed with GLORY, thus setting up the opportunity to achieve greatness by dethroning the longtime heavyweight champion.
To do so, he will have to overcome the huge physical advantages Verhoeven possesses. Standing at 6'5" tall and with a 77” reach, Verhoeven is a master of controlling distance, utilising supreme footwork to pressure his opponents around the ring before unleashing brutal leg kicks to set up his devastating KO power.
Vakhitov must pressure from the outset and use his boxing to crack the towering Dutchman's defenses. As a Master of Sport in Muay Thai, Vakhitov has some of the most damaging leg kicks in GLORY, however it's his ability to work them in with his boxing combinations that set him apart from his adversaries, as his crisp punches are finished off with whipping low kicks that punish anyone in the Russian's path.
With the next round of the Last Heavyweight Standing taking place on the same card, it’s within reason that the winner of the main event could be looking down the card to find their next opponent. The likes of Rajabzadeh, Azizpour and Caceres are all fresh matchups for both men and with the tournament finals not taking place until December, it gives them plenty of time to heal up and challenge the champion in a christmas cracker of a fight.
Tarik Khbabez vs. Sergej Maslobojev — GLORY Light Heavyweight Title Fight
In the co-main event, Light Heavyweight Champion Tarik Khbabez looks to settle an old score as he takes on former champion Sergej Maslobojev.
"The Tank" is coming off an action packed 2024 schedule, including a trio of fights against another former light heavyweight champion in Donegi Abena, where he secured two wins and a loss to end the year with GLORY gold around his waist.
Maslobojev's 2024 was no quieter, racking up four wins against the likes of Bogdan Stoica and Stefan Latescu whilst only losing once, against Bahram Rajabzadeh in the Light Heavyweight Grand Prix semi-finals.
Calf kicks are the name of the game for Tarik Khbabez — not only are they strong enough to finish the fight in their own right, but they are also key to the setup of his boxing which reigns down on his opponents like a thunderstorm. “The Tank” never throws with anything less than full power. Once he’s in range, he barrels forward, unleashing his sledgehammer right hand and mixing in hooks and uppercuts to the body and head to seal the win.
Despite turning 38 three weeks prior to this fight, Sergej Maslobojev shows no signs of slowing down in the ring, with his deceptive speed being one of the most valuable tricks he has up his sleeve. This speed is key to his style of fighting at range and his ability to take advantage of opportunities to counter his opponents, often following his opponents strikes with at least two or three of his own.
These two top contenders match up well against each other, with Khbabez’s relentless style set to draw the best out of out of Maslobojev’s more slick style of technical kickboxing. No one has been able to hold light heavyweight gold for longer than two fights since Artem Vakhitov’s first reign as king of the division, but with those times a distant memory, its time for these men to make their rightful claim at the throne.
Donovan Wisse vs. Michael Boapeah — GLORY Middleweight Title Fight
2023 GLORY Fighter of the Year Donovan Wisse opens his 2025 account against a familiar foe, as he welcomes former title challenger Michael Boapeah back to the middleweight division.
Frustrated with a lack of action in his natural weight class, Boapeah moved up to light heavyweight to start 2025, securing stoppage victories over number ten ranked Ibrahim El Bouni and number six ranked Stefan Latescu to solidify himself as a contender across two weight classes.
Wisse continued to add to his title defenses in 2024, securing wins over ranked contenders Ulric Bokeme and Sergej Braun, but his performances could not silence Boapeah who called him out at every opportunity, even referring to the longtime champion as a "wasteman".
However, trash talk doesn't win you fights, and Donovan Wisse knows how to win fights, currently the owner of a 22-1 professional record, Wisse’s smooth and technical style has been the foundation of his current eleven fight winning streak under the GLORY banner.
A patient and punishing jab set Wisse on his way to victory in his last fight against Sergej Braun, using it to control space in the ring and forcing his German opponent backwards throughout the course of the five-round contest.
Boapeah by contrast never takes a backwards step in his fights, marching down his opponents and throwing full power in every strike, once he smells blood, there is no rest for "The Timebomb" in his efforts to detonate a fatal strike.
History is on the line in this middleweight championship bout, as a win would see Wisse surpass Alex Pereira’s five title defenses to become the division’s sole record holder. If Boapeah wins, he would become the first African fighter to win the Middleweight title as well as only the second African fighter to win an undisputed GLORY belt of any kind.
Petchpanomrung vs. Miguel Trindade — GLORY Featherweight Title Fight
After a split decision win in the final of the GLORY X RISE Grand Prix went the way of Petchpanomrung, a rematch between him and Miguel Trindade seemed like the only possible option for the pound for pound number one.
Aside from an unsuccessful trip to Lightweight against Tyjani Beztati, where he was felled by the Moroccans front kick, the Thai has been perfect inside the GLORY ropes since unifying the featherweight title against Robin van Roosmalen back at GLORY 59.
In typical Thai style, Petchpanomrung has a spectacular low kick which he uses to cripple his opponents, and with a never-ending gas tank he has all night long to chop away at Trindade's legs.
Never one to back down from a war, Trindade has the power to end the night early with one shot, and with a 72% knockout ratio he has proven that the Portuguese power is not to be taken lightly.
Despite having just 21 professional fights, Trindade looks remarkably comfortable in the ring against far more experienced opponents. He showed no hesitation when facing Petchpanomrung, a seasoned Thai veteran with over 200 fights on his record.
The piercing body kicks from the champion are something that Trindade became very familiar with in their last contest. He used them not only to score well with the judges but to disrupt the rhythm of Trindade, forcing him to reset his balance every time he took one to the gut.
Knowing he won the last bout just six months ago, Petchpanomrung will go into this contest as the favorite and full of confidence, looking to secure his ninth title defense in the featherweight division. In contrast, Miguel Trindade has spent those six months training, analyzing his mistakes, and remembering the sting of defeat as he looks to rip the belt from around Petch’s waist.
Much like at heavyweight, the featherweight division will also see a Grand Prix this year, with the opening stages beginning on June 21. Considering both these men are such fierce competitors, it's entirely possible that they could enter at the second stage and once again take on the finest fighters from both GLORY and RISE.
