Turki Alalshikh is already mapping out Oleksandr Usyk’s next steps before he has even set foot in the ring with Rico Verhoeven.Usyk squares off against Verhoeven on Saturday night in the shadows of the Pyramids of Giza in a fight that is most accurately described as a spectacle.GettyUsyk and Verhoeven lock horns on Saturday in Egypt[/caption]Verhoeven, aptly nicknamed ‘The King of Kickboxing’, reigned supreme as Glory heavyweight champion for 12 years before his eventual retirement in 2025.The Dutchman is one of the best big men to ever grace the four-limbed sport, but without the use of all of his tools, he faces an uphill battle against Usyk. Most expect the bout to be over inside six rounds.And, providing everything goes to plan, Saudi boxing chief Alalshikh has revealed that Usyk will be heading to Istanbul, Turkey, for his next assignment.“I know he doesn’t want to talk about the future, but I want to give away a small secret,” said Alalshikh at Usyk and Verhoeven’s final press conference on Thursday.“We are planning to do something amazing in Istanbul near Ayasofya, next year, Inshallah.”Who is Oleksandr Usyk facing next?While Alalshikh stopped short of explicitly naming Usyk’s dance partner, he has already made it clear that he wants to match the Ukrainian against Agit Kabayel in January.Kabayel is Usyk’s WBC mandatory, and so a fight will be ordered by the major sanctioning body after the conclusion of the voluntary defence with Verhoeven.The heavy-handed German had planned to return to his home country at the back end of the year, following the success of his January stadium showcase against Damian Knyba in Oberhausen.However, he has now put his career on hold while he waits for his shot at Usyk.View Tweet: https://twitter.com/Turki_alalshikh?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwWhat has Kabayel said about fighting Usyk?“We talked with Frank Warren and Spencer Brown, the plan is now to wait for Usyk-Verhoeven,” Kabayel told Ring Magazine earlier this year.“I’m just waiting for the situation to sort itself out. “Usyk will fight me or vacate the title, that [waiting] is the best option for me, and then the results will show themselves.”Usyk has also recently opened the door to a fight with Kabayel.What has Usyk said about fighting Kabayel?“Maybe I will fight Kabayel,” Usyk told the Daily Mail.“Maybe I don’t face Tyson Fury for a third time, and I fight Kabayel instead.Kabayel is the mandatory challenger to Usyk’s WBC beltGetty“I only say my plan, but that is not set in stone.“I understand the Agit fans are saying you must fight him, you must fight him. But I don’t have to fight him.“I must live my life, I must look after my team, my children. As for fighting, I just work hard, and my opponents work hard.“Look, maybe it’s possible I fight Agit. All I can say is he’s a great fighter, and he’s very smart.”Watch Boxing on DAZN*If you click a link in this boxout, we will earn affiliate revenueSign up to DAZN to access the definitive subscription for boxing fans.Upgrade to DAZN Ultimate from just £24.99/month, guaranteeing access to 185+ fights annually, a minimum of 12 pay-per-views at no extra cost, as well as every Lega Serie A match and other elite football access.Alternatively, DAZN Standard is just £15.99/month, with the caveat you will have to pay for pay-per-view events.Click here to sign up.