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!
Usyk vs Rico results
Live updates
We’ve had the national anthems of Egypt, the Netherlands and Ukraine.
Chants of ‘Usyk’ can be heard at ringside as we gear up for Michael Buffer’s final introductions.
Almost time to get underway at last...
Oleksandr Usyk ring walk
Here comes the champion. Is that Roman battle regalia he is sporting?
The fireworks and pyrotechnics are quite impressive as he marches his way to join Verhoeven in the ring.
Say what you like about tonight’s event, but the scenery is absolutely incredible.
Boxing has never seen a backdrop like this.
It’s time for the national anthems.
Rico Verhoeven ring walk
Michael Buffer is on the mic and here comes the challenger, who can only win the WBC and The Ring heavyweight belts tonight.
The WBA and IBF titles are not his to claim, though Usyk will be stripped of both if he loses.
Verhoeven is jumping up and down on the spot, flanked by men dressed as pharaohs with torches and expending a lot of nervous energy as the EDM music blares out.
Now he races into the ring as we await Usyk’s arrival.
A reminder that it has gone past 1am local time in Egypt...
Usyk vs Rico: Tale of the tape
Here’s a quick look at the tale of the tape before the main event ring walks finally begin.
Verhoeven is two inches taller than Usyk, two years younger, 25lbs heavier and boasts a slight reach advantage.
But it surely won’t matter...
Usyk’s dominant victory feels a foregone conclusion to me - I’m expecting it to be more Joshua vs Ngannou than Fury vs Ngannou.
Renowned for his masterful technical skills, Usyk can be a truly spiteful puncher when he wants to be and won’t take this lightly, as Fury did against MMA heavyweight powerhouse Ngannou and almost paid the price.
Having said that, Verhoeven could prove difficult to knock out as his extensive kickboxing background means he is extremely tough and durable.
A dominant points win for Usyk wouldn’t be a surprise therefore, but I think he will totally control proceedings before turning up the tempo and stopping Verhoeven late on.
The longer this wait continues, the more some people seem to be talking their way into Verhoeven having even a puncher’s chance tonight of pulling off one of the biggest upsets in sporting history.
Would it be bigger than 42-1 shot Buster Douglas famously stunning then-unbeaten and undisputed world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson in Tokyo in 1990?
Yes, surely.
The world’s best heavyweight boxers cannot get close to Usyk, let alone someone who, while a kickboxing superstar, has boxed professionally once - in 2014.
This really should be Usyk’s fight to win at any time he likes, otherwise it’s a real blow for boxing’s reputation in general.
Sheeraz’s early demolition job on the hopelessly overmatched Begic means we’re having a bit of an extended wait for tonight’s main event.
Ring walks should be on the way very shortly, and apparently they are very elaborate and befitting of the quite incredible setting.
Usyk vs Rico next
Right, just the main event to come now, set against a stunning backdrop at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt.
Unbeaten unified world heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk defends his WBC title against kickboxing legend Rico Verhoeven - who is 12 years removed from his only professional boxing fight to date.
On paper, it’s a mismatch of absolutely epic proportions.
Anything other than a comfortable victory for Usyk will be widely seen as an embarrassment for the pound-for-pound No1 and a real blot to his unblemished reputation.
A defeat would unquestionably rank as one of the biggest upsets in boxing history. Maybe the biggest?
One of the biggest in any sport, period.
Canelo fight on the horizon for Sheeraz?
All roads appear to be leading towards Canelo for Sheeraz as manager Spencer Brown speaks on future plans for the new WBO super-middleweight world champion.
Canelo first has to get past WBC champion Christian Mbilli in Riyadh on September 12, of course.
Jaime Munguia is the new WBA champion at 168lbs after defeating fellow Mexican Armando Resendiz in Las Vegas on Cinco de Mayo weekend.
Cuba’s Osleys Iglesias picked up the IBF belt against Russia’s Pavel Silyagin in Montreal last month.
Guatemala’s Lester Martinez is also in the mix as WBC interim champion after beating Immanuwel Aleem in California in March.
Sheeraz stops Begic in second round to claim WBO super-middleweight title
As one-sided as it gets, Begic has been completely and utterly overwhelmed from the outset - as most thought that he would be.
He is being battered around the ring by a ferocious and unforgiving Sheeraz, who traps him in the corner and lets those heavy punches fly.
There’s just no respite whatsoever for Begic, who is absorbing the full array of punches - jabs, hooks and uppercuts aplenty.
He’s crunched by a wincing blow to the body and sinks to the canvas, on his haunches and grimacing in pain.
He’s counted out in round two and Sheeraz is hoisted aloft - a world champion at last.
A total mismatch.