Unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk remained undefeated after defeating former kickboxing champion Rico Verhoeven by TKO in the eleventh round at the Pyramids of Giza, in a fight that came close to becoming one of the biggest surprises in modern boxing.
Verhoeven, considered widely inferior before the fight due to his limited experience in professional boxing, surprised by dominating several passages of the fight with aggressiveness, constant pressure and forceful blows that seriously complicated Usyk.
The cards reflected how close the contest was before the outcome. One judge had the Dutchman ahead 96-94, while the other two scored a tie 95-95 entering the eleventh episode.
When it seemed that the fight could be defined in the final rounds, Usyk reacted with the experience of a champion. The Ukrainian landed a powerful uppercut that knocked Verhoeven down and then launched a final combination that led the referee to stop the fight one second before the end of the round.
The decision sparked immediate controversy, as Verhoeven was still standing when the TKO was declared. The Dutchman said after the fight that he considered the arrest premature and several analysts agreed that he deserved to continue.
With this victory, Usyk raised his professional record to 25 wins without losses and 16 knockouts, consolidating himself as the great dominator of the heavy division. Meanwhile, Verhoeven came out stronger despite the defeat, leaving open the possibility of a rematch after his unexpected performance in Egypt.
