While many criticised the stoppage in Oleksandr Usyk’s fight against Rico Verhoeven, Canelo Alvarez thinks the referee made the right call.
Usyk stepped into the ring to defend his Ring Magazine and WBC World Heavyweight titles against Verhoeven, with the bout taking place in front of a striking backdrop: the Pyramids in Giza.
The former kickboxing champion, who was only making his second appearance in professional boxing, surprised many with how well he performed against one of the division’s top fighters.
By round 11, one judge had Verhoeven ahead by a round, while the other two had it even. But just before the bell rang to end the fight, Usyk forced a stoppage that sparked immediate debate about whether it was justified.
Canelo backs referee decision in Usyk vs Verhoeven despite backlash
Even at 37, Verhoeven had been putting together a case for one of the biggest upsets the sport has seen, managing to stay competitive deep into the fight.
The finish didn’t sit well with many. The referee stepped in after the bell sounded to end the round, and some of Usyk’s punches clearly landed after time had expired.
Verhoeven’s camp protested immediately, and it didn’t take long for him to announce plans to officially appeal the result.
Still, Canelo Alvarez stood by the referee’s call, going against what seemed like most people’s opinion on how things played out.
Speaking outside of an impromptu venue setup for post-fight reactions, Canelo said: “It was a good fight. I didn’t expect that from Rico but it was a good fight.”
“It’s tough to say (how it was scored). I don’t think (it was an early stoppage), I think they saved Rico from a knockout,” he added.
No decision has been made yet about whether Verhoeven will chase a rematch or look elsewhere. After the bout, Jake Paul floated an MVP MMA fight between Verhoeven and Francis Ngannou—something that would be hard not to notice if it came together.
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