The Heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk had to dig deep Saturday night in Egypt, surviving a difficult obstacle from a Dutch kickboxing star Rico Verhoeven before securing a late stoppage near the Pyramids of Giza.
Usyk entered the bout unbeaten and carried the WBC, WBA, and IBF heavyweight titles. What many expected to be a showcase turned into a challenging fight after Verhoeven’s pressure and body work disrupted the Ukrainian champion’s momentum for multiple rounds.
Watch the highlights of the fight here
Verhoeven pushes Usyk into deep waters
Verhoeven, fighting in just his second professional boxing match, looked far more prepared than many expected. The former kickboxing standout used his size and physicality early, landing sharp shots to the body that slowed Usyk and forced him to work in uncomfortable situations.
At times, the challenger’s success had fans recalling some of heavyweight boxing’s biggest surprises. The 6-foot-5 Dutchman consistently crowded Usyk and made the undefeated said Verhoeven, who was only eligible to win the WBC belt.
The confidence from Verhoeven kept growing as the fight entered the championship rounds. Usyk still found moments with his jab and movement, but the challenger remained dangerous and continued pressing forward.
Usyk closes the show in the 11th
The fight turned suddenly late in the 11th round.
Usyk connected with a heavy shot that dropped Verhoeven near the end of the round. The Dutch fighter beat the count, but the champion immediately jumped back on the attack. Referee Mark Lyson stepped in at 2:59 of the round to stop the contest just before the bell.
Verhoeven was all class, but did protest the stoppage.
“I thought it was an early stoppage but in the end it’s not up to me.”
”I thought we were pretty equal on the scorecards.”
The victory moved Usyk to 25-0 with 16 knockouts. After the fight, the Ukrainian champion gave respect to his opponent and dedicated the win to his home country.
“Thank you so much, Rico, you are an amazing fighter,”