All articles tagged with #usyk
Oleksandr Usyk won by stoppage in the 11th round against Rico Verhoeven in Egypt, and on the flight home Peter Fury confronted the referee Mark Lyson about the stoppage before forgiving him, saying he hadn’t heard the bell and that the call was a genuine mistake made in the heat of the moment.
Oleksandr Usyk outlasted kickboxing star Rico Verhoeven at Glory in Giza, finishing Verhoeven with a late stoppage that many viewed as controversial; Verhoeven plans an appeal and a rematch is being floated as promoters weigh next steps after a fight that delivered drama, a dramatic backdrop, and questions about judging.
Usyk dismissed criticisms that his late stoppage of Rico Verhoeven was premature, saying it’s not his job to judge referees or stoppages and his focus remains on boxing. The bout proved tougher than expected, with Verhoeven briefly ahead on some cards before Usyk secured an 11th‑round finish after a knockdown, preserving the WBC heavyweight title amid scrutiny of the referee’s stoppage.
Oleksandr Usyk retained his titles with an 11th‑round TKO over Rico Verhoeven in Cairo, a finish many observers viewed as controversial as Verhoeven appeared competitive. Usyk then invited fans to share their thoughts on X, sparking a widespread roast about the stoppage, while a minority defended the referee’s call. The backlash has fueled rematch talk and ongoing debate over the ending.
AEW Double or Nothing is previewed with a sold-out, multi-hour lineup at Louis Armstrong Stadium, including a hair-vs.-title stipulation and strong gate/ticket chatter, while Usyk’s boxing defense against Rico Verhoev en is analyzed for its controversial rounds and reception. The update also bundles broader WWE/NJPW/AAA notes and weekend event coverage.
Oleksandr Usyk defeated Rico Verhoeven by TKO in Cairo after a controversial stoppage that occurred after the bell; Verhoeven, ahead on one scorecard and arguing the bell rang, intends to appeal and wants a rematch or a scorecard decision, while praising his game plan and acknowledging the setback.
Oleksandr Usyk defeated Rico Verhoeven by a controversial TKO with one second left in the 11th round during a spectacle staged near the pyramids of Giza, a finish that left Verhoeven ahead or tied on the scorecards and sparked questions about officiating. The event drew boxing luminaries and celebrities, highlighting the dramatic, publicity-filled clash.
Oleksandr Usyk knocked out Rico Verhoeven with one second left in the 11th round to defend the WBC heavyweight title at Glory in Giza in Cairo. Official scorecards released after the bout had two judges at 95-95 and one at 96-94 for Verhoeven, meaning Usyk might have won on points if the fight had gone the distance; the late knockdown would have made Round 11 a 10-8 for Usyk if scored, underscoring how close the fight appeared on the cards versus the dramatic finish.
Oleksandr Usyk retained the WBC heavyweight title by stopping Rico Verhoev en with 2:59 left in the 11th round at the pyramids in Giza, Egypt, narrowly avoiding a historic upset as two judges had the bout tied 95-95 entering the final stretch. Verhoeven fought bravely in his pro boxing return after 12 years and pressed for a rematch, but Usyk’s late stoppage preserved his 25-0 record and all three belts.
Oleksandr Usyk defeated Rico Verhoeven by an 11th-round KO at the Pyramids of Giza to retain the WBC heavyweight title; Verhoeven—an accomplished kickboxer making only his second pro boxing appearance—felt the stoppage was premature, while Usyk remained undefeated at 25-0.
MMA Fighting delivers live coverage and results for the Usyk vs. Verhoeven Cairo event, with a DAZN PPV main card and undercard results (Basem Mamdouh, Sultan Almohammed, Mahmoud Moubarek, Omar Hikal) and the main event expected to begin around 5:45 p.m. ET.
Boxing’s cross-discipline event tops the night as Oleksandr Usyk faces Rico Verhoeven at the Pyramids of Giza, with a complete ringwalk schedule on DAZN and a stacked undercard: Hamzah Sheeraz vs Alem Begic for the vacant WBO super middleweight title and Jack Catterall vs Shakhram Giyasov for the vacant WBA welterweight belt. Usyk’s ringwalk is pegged for 5:56 p.m. EST (10:56 p.m. BST / 12:56 a.m. local), with times for the other bouts listed throughout the card.
At the Cairo weigh-in for Saturday's WBC heavyweight title bout, Oleksandr Usyk weighed 233.3 lbs and Rico Verhoeven 258.7 lbs, giving Verhoeven a roughly 25-pound size advantage. Despite the heft, Verhoeven is a heavy underdog, and Usyk remains the heavier of the two in most of his heavyweight fights, though this is his heaviest weight ever. A win for Verhoeven would not yield him the WBA belt, but Usyk could lose the WBA title if Verhoeven wins. The undercard weighed in without issues, with several other bouts scheduled and DAZN set to stream the event.
Oleksandr Usyk defends his WBC heavyweight title against Rico Verhoeven in Cairo at the Grand Egyptian Museum on May 22, 2026, with DAZN pay-per-view expected to begin around 5:45 p.m. ET; MMA Fighting will provide a live round-by-round blog, noting Usyk’s 24-0 record (15 KOs) and Verhoeven’s background as a former Glory kickboxing champion who hasn’t fought pro boxing since 2014.
At the Glory in Giza weigh-in, Oleksandr Usyk weighed 233.3 lb and Rico Verhoeven 258.7 lb, giving Verhoeven a ~25-pound edge in the heavyweight main event with Usyk defending the WBC title. Verhoeven, a legendary kickboxer making his boxing return (his first since 2014), faces arguably boxing’s pound-for-pound best in Egypt on DAZN PPV, with a stacked undercard.