Usyk vs Rico LIVE!
Oleksandr Usyk just about navigated a major scare against Rico Verhoeven at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt on Saturday night. Unified world heavyweight champion Usyk looked in serious danger of falling victim to what would have been one of the biggest upsets in sporting history against a kickboxing legend whose only previous professional boxing bout came 12 years ago. The pound-for-pound No1 really struggled against the impressive Verhoeven, who most onlookers thought was winning the fight heading into the late stages.
However, Usyk rallied crucially late in round 11 to send Verhoeven down with an uppercut before his subsequent follow-up pressure then told as referee Mark Lyson stepped in with a stoppage that was officially timed with just one second remaining in the round, leaving Verhoeven and his team furious at what they considered a premature intervention in the circumstances.
Hamzah Sheeraz brushed aside Alem Begic to collect the vacant WBO super-middleweight title after Jack Catterall picked up the WBA ‘regular’ welterweight crown by dominating Shakhram Giyasov. Frank Sanchez knocked out Richard Torrez Jr in an IBF heavyweight title eliminator after Mizuki Hiruta’s latest successful defence and a surprise loss for Daniel Lapin. Follow Usyk vs Rico as it happened below!
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Here are the scorecards at the time of that controversial stoppage.
Two judges - Spain’s Manuel Oliver Palomo and Fabian Guggenheim of Switzerland - had the fight dead level at 95-95 heading into round 11, which would have been a 10-8 round for Usyk with the knockdown, if Verhoeven had seen the bell.
A third judge, Canada’s Pasquale Procopio, had Verhoeven ahead by a single round, 96-94.
A 10-8 round in the 11th would have seen Usyk go into the final three minutes up 105-103 on two cards, with the other level.
I’m sure those won’t prove controversial at all!
Scorecards at time of controversial stoppage revealed
Here are the scorecards at the time of that controversial stoppage.
Two judges - Spain’s Manuel Oliver Palomo and Fabian Guggenheim of Switzerland - had the fight dead level at 95-95 heading into round 11, which would have been a 10-8 round for Usyk with the knockdown, if Verhoeven had seen the bell.
A third judge, Canada’s Pasquale Procopio, had Verhoeven ahead 96-94.
A 10-8 round in the 11th would have seen Usyk go into the final three minutes up 105-103 on two cards, with the other level.
I’m sure those won’t prove controversial at all!
Jake Paul is pulling no punches with his assessment of that fight on social media tonight...
Usyk admits it was a tough fight.
Agit Kabayel is in the ring afterwards in a Germany shirt as his camp look to ensure that the long-time interim WBC heavyweight champion is next in line for a crack at Usyk, no doubt encouraged by what he has seen tonight.
They want that fight in Germany.
Turki Alalshikh rather shuts it down though, insisting that he wants to see Usyk fight Kabayel but Verhoeven also given a rematch.
Usyk, as ever, won’t give a straight answer on who he would rather face next.
“I’ll fight them both,” he says with a trademark grin.
Verhoeven and trainer Peter Fury - Tyson’s uncle - are not as angry as I thought they would be at a massively controversial stoppage that came just one solitary second before the bell in round 11.
They both agree it was early, with Verhoeven frustrated that he didn’t get the chance to go out on his shield.
But they are both nevertheless delighted with his performance tonight.
And rightly so.
That stoppage was timed at 2 minutes and 59 seconds of round 11.
Just a second to go before the bell!
Usyk seems likely to have stopped him in the 12th anyway the way that was going, but you never know - and Verhoeven may well have been ahead on the cards.
A hugely controversial stoppage. It felt too early from referee Mark Lyson.
But what an outstanding effort from Verhoeven, a kickboxing great but a boxing novice who pushed one of the greatest of all-time all the way.
A remarkable night in Egypt.
Usyk retains his unified heavyweight titles and remains unbeaten at 25-0.
Oleksandr Usyk stops Rico Verhoeven in 11th round as major upset avoided
Brutal from Usyk with the uppercut and Verhoeven is down late in the 11th!
Verhoeven gets back up and is crucially given time to put his mouthguard back in - much to the fury of Usyk and his corner.
Usyk goes right for him again after the restart and lets more huge shots fly with Verhoeven stranded against the ropes with his legs almost gone.
The bell is sounding but the referee has stepped in to wave it off!
Verhoeven’s team are furious.
Wow. Usyk wins by stoppage in the 11th round to avoid a disastrous defeat!
Usyk vs Rico
How badly Usyk needed that furious finish to the 10th, again flipping a switch out of nowhere and letting his hands fly.
That’s much more like the Usyk we know and there is damage to the side of Verhoeven’s face that will require attention.
Verhoeven tries to fire back before the bell and lands...
Usyk vs Rico
Usyk continues to look so flustered and out of sorts.
It feels like he has seriously underestimated Verhoeven here, despite his pre-fight claims to the contrary.
Fury-Ngannou, anyone?
Peter Fury imparts more words of wisdom in Rico’s corner, while Usyk is sat on his stool looking rather deflated.
Into the championship rounds, three to go. Are we entering Usyk needs a knockout territory?!
Surely not...
Usyk vs Rico
I have never seen someone able to unsettle Usyk so badly and so easily on the inside.
Verhoeven is getting past his defences with ease and hurting him with some bruising flurries time and again.
What has happened to Usyk’s footwork?!
The disparity in scorecards across the spectrum tonight is remarkable.
Mike Coppinger has Verhoeven up 79-73, others have it dead level through eight.
This feels like it’s going to be controversial...