Oleksandr Usyk retained his heavyweight world titles after a hugely controversial 11th-round stoppage victory over kickboxing legend Rico Verhoeven in Egypt on Saturday night.
Few gave Verhoeven a realistic chance heading into only his second professional boxing contest, but the Dutchman stunned the boxing world with a fearless display that pushed Usyk to the limit in one of the most dramatic fights of the year.
Set against the backdrop of the Pyramids of Giza in a purpose-built open-air arena, the event quickly turned into a far more competitive battle than many expected. Verhoeven started brightly, using constant movement and physical pressure to trouble the usually composed Ukrainian champion.
Usyk, widely regarded as one of the greatest heavyweights of his generation, looked uncomfortable for long periods and was repeatedly caught by clean right hands from the former kickboxing king. Verhoeven’s aggression and unpredictability appeared to disrupt Usyk’s rhythm, with the champion struggling to fully control the pace of the fight.
The Dutch challenger landed several eye-catching shots during the middle rounds, including a powerful right hand in the eighth that visibly rocked Usyk. Ringside observers, including Anthony Joshua, Saul Alvarez and Terence Crawford, watched as the underdog continued to exceed expectations.
However, experience ultimately proved decisive.
Usyk began to increase the pressure in the championship rounds, repeatedly finding success with his left uppercut. In the 11th round, one of those uppercuts sent Verhoeven to the canvas for the first time in the fight.
Although Verhoeven beat the count and attempted to continue, Usyk launched another quick flurry of punches in the closing seconds of the round. With just one second remaining before the bell, referee Mark Lyson stepped in to wave off the contest — a decision that immediately sparked controversy inside the arena and across social media.
The scorecards at the time of the stoppage read 95-95, 95-95 and 96-94 in favour of Verhoeven, underlining just how competitive the contest had been.
Speaking after the fight, Usyk admitted he had been pushed hard by his opponent.
“This fight was hard. It was a good fight,” Usyk said.
Verhoeven, meanwhile, questioned the referee’s decision and called for a rematch after what many viewed as an early stoppage.
“I wanted the referee to let me go out on my shield or let me go in the 12th,” Verhoeven said. “I felt we were pretty even on the scorecards.”
Despite the defeat, Verhoeven’s performance earned widespread praise and significantly boosted his reputation within boxing circles. Comparisons have already been made to Francis Ngannou’s impressive crossover display against Tyson Fury in 2023.
Attention may now turn to unbeaten German contender Agit Kabayel, who entered the ring afterwards to demand his shot at Usyk’s titles. Usyk responded positively to the challenge, suggesting a future showdown could take place in Germany.
After surviving arguably the toughest night of his professional career, questions will now follow Usyk about whether age is finally beginning to catch up with the 39-year-old champion — and whether Verhoeven deserves another shot.
