IT was supposed to be a no-sweat job, a walk in the park.
As it turned out, unified world heavyweight (WBC, WBA, and IBF) heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk found himself in a rumble in the jungle with unheralded challenger Rico Verhoeven during their 12-round contest at the Pyramids of Giza.
Verhoeven offered an unconventional style that troubled Usyk early in the fight. Usyk struggled to find his rhythm as Verhoeven landed some alarming right hands. To compound Usyk’s woes, he did not appear to be in great shape.
After 10 rounds, two judges had scored the fight a draw, 95-95, while a third judge had Verhoeven ahead, 96-94.
Sensing a need to play catch-up, Usyk decided to let his hands go in the 11th round. He landed a huge uppercut that floored Verhoeven.
Verhoeven picked himself up and received additional seconds to recover as his handler tried to put back his mouthpiece.
When the action resumed, Usyk was all over Verhoeven like sauce on spaghetti. He was pummeling Verhoeven when referee Mark Lyson stepped in and waived the fight over.
Lyson’s intervention was pelted with catcalls.
The official time of the stoppage was 2:59 of round 11. This means only one second was left in the round when Lyson stepped in. Verhoeven was still on his feet and could have easily survived the round. Of course, the likely scenario is that Usyk would have finished Verhoeven in the 12th and final round.
Verhoeven, 37, expressed deep frustration over the way referee Lyson pulled the plug. He would have wanted to finish the fight on his shield.
A win is a win, and Usyk was only too happy to retain the heavyweight hardware.
Usyk definitely did not anticipate a serious challenge. You cannot blame Usyk for the overconfidence as he was going up against the relatively untested (boxing-wise) Verhoeven.
Verhoeven offered a 1-0 record going into the fight. Verhoeven’s first pro fight actually happened way back in 2014, when he stopped Janos Finfera.
Verhoeven spent most of his combat years in kickboxing. He competed in the heavyweight kickboxing division of Glory Promotions and became its longest-reigning champ.
The only reason Verhoeven received a shot at the heavyweight crown in only his second pro fight was because Usyk wanted something “different” and the WBC went along with him.
Usyk wanted to fight someone other than the mandatory challenger.
The WBC approved the match, noting that Usyk has been hyperactive as champion and needed some sort of a break. The WBC tried to justify the fight by citing Verhoeven’s impressive reign in kickboxing.
The WBA and the IBF wanted no role in the charade.
The WBA approved the fight but under special conditions: If Usyk had lost, the WBA will declare its title vacant. The WBA had no plans to recognize Verhoeven as champion.
The IBF did not allow its belt to be at stake in the contest. Had Usyk lost, the IBF would have immediately declared its title vacant. With Usyk emerging victorious, the IBF is willing to let him keep the belt but the champ must make a mandatory defense within 180 days. This can get complicated because Usyk is also be due to make a mandatory defense of the WBC crown against Agit Kabayel of Germany.
Kabayel was skipped for Verhoeven.
Usyk, 39, is mulling on retiring after three more fights. The champ definitely has his hands full as Verhoeven is also hankering for a rematch.
While initially respectful of the stoppage, Verhoeven changed his tone and has since instructed his team to appeal the official result. It is difficult to see the result being changed, but Verhoeven’s camp is likely looking to have an immediate rematch arranged.
Usyk became the first undisputed heavyweight champion of the four-belt era when he defeated Tyson Fury in June 2024 to unify all four belts: WBA, WBC, WBO and IBF.
Shortly after becoming undisputed champ, Usyk gave up the IBF title to pursue a lucrative rematch with Fury. Usyk beat Fury again in December 2024 while Briton Daniel Dubois picked up the vacant IBF belt.
In July 2025, Usyk knocked out Dubois to regain the IBF crown and become undisputed champ again. In November 2025, Usyk relinquished the WBO title to allow other boxers to fight for it and to free himself from the mandatory defense obligation.
As things stand, Usyk (25-0, 16 knockouts) holds the WBC, WBA and IBF crowns. As his career winds down, Usyk is likely to give up more belts to pursue the fight he prefers. We are talking here of the fights that will give Usyk the golden parachute before he archives the gloves.
