He also likes to accept things from living legends such as Peter Aerts, Sem Schilt and Ernesto Hoost. “These are greats and connoisseurs of the sport.”
Occasionally there are also sour criticisms from others. Verhoeven shrugs. “Ah, haters hate. Usually it means you’re doing something right, right?”
Peter Aerts
Verhoeven worked out a detailed plan together with trainer Dennis Krauwel to beat Jamal Ben Saddik. However, due to the eye injury, everything turned out differently.
Krauweel: „We strive for perfection, but for a true champion it should not really matter whether a match goes left or right. Now it had to be in character. Great, Rico can do that too.”
Rico Verhoeven takes a look in the ring with his trainer Dennis Krauweel, prior to the match with Jamal Ben Saddik.
ⓒ Matt Ferris
Krauweel (50) has been working with Verhoeven (32) for about sixteen years and knows the kickboxing champion like no other. “Rico is so strong mentally. That’s what makes him special. That was also a characteristic of Peter Aerts. Personally, I like that, because when Rico started, Peter was his great example.”
Monday in the paper newspaper and on the website of De Telegraaf: an exclusive look back – round by round – with Rico Verhoeven on his heroic title fight with Jamal Ben Saddik. “I was sad, I knew I had really scared my children.”