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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Hiruta vs Soliman
Hiruta’s sheer speed and footwork is just far too much for Soliman to handle.
She glides around the ring effortlessly, slipping in and out of range so fast and scoring with those swift, eye-catching flurries.
Soliman is durable and determined, but has few answers for the champion at the moment as the rounds tick by.
Hiruta vs Soliman
A fast and furious start to Hiruta vs Soliman.
Hiruta’s hands are so fast, she’s putting together those rapid combinations so fluidly.
She already looks clear levels above her challenger, who is far slower as she lunges in and gets repeatedly peppered with a flurry of shots.
Another look at tonight’s stunning setting outside the Pyramids of Giza...
Hiruta vs Soliman
On we go with the main card action in Egypt.
Japan’s 10-0 unbeaten world champion Mizuki Hiruta makes the seventh defence of her WBO super-flyweight title next.
She’s being challenged by 10-1 Egypt-born Australian contender Mai Soliman, who currently holds the IBF International and WBC Australasian belts.
Hiruta’s Ring title is also on the line here.
Usyk insists Verhoeven is 'dangerous' opponent
Despite most expecting him to coast to an easy victory tonight, Oleksandr Usyk insists that Rico Verhoeven is a “dangerous” opponent not to be taken lightly as he risks his glittering reputation and heavyweight belts.
“I'm not [thinking] relaxed and this is easy money. This is a fighter,” Usyk said on Friday.
Verhoeven, two inches taller, 25lbs heavier and two years younger than Usyk, is a record-breaking kickboxing legend who was the longest-reigning heavyweight champion in the history of international kickboxing promotion Glory.
He has spent 12 years at the top of the kickboxing rankings and also competed in K-1, It's Showtime and SUPERKOMBAT.
Verhoeven has had one mixed martial arts (MMA) fight against Viktor Bogutzki, which he won via a first-round stoppage in Romania in 2015.
His lone professional boxing contest to date was in Germany in April 2014, when he knocked out Janos Finfera - a former opponent of Hughie Fury - of Hungary in the second round.
To say this is a monumental step up tonight for the Dutchman against an all-time boxing great would be a colossal understatement.
Tani stuns Lapin with dominant fourth-round stoppage
An absolutely remarkable start to the main card in Egypt!
Tani has blitzed Lapin in a huge upset, putting him down three times en route to a blistering fourth-round stoppage.
He was ultra-aggressive from the outset, swarming Lapin at every opportunity and letting the big shots fly in bunches with brutal variety.
Lapin looked so uncomfortable on the defensive and could do nothing to stem the onslaught as the referee steps in.
Tani celebrates a stunning career-best victory to move him to 10-1 with some stylish backflips inside the ring before being presented with his new belts.
A first professional defeat for Lapin, who drops to 13-1.
Not a good opening to the night for Team Usyk...
Verhoeven promises to pose Usyk new challenge
You will struggle to find many people who believe that Rico Verhoeven has even the slightest chance of upsetting Oleksandr Usyk tonight and pulling off what would surely go down as one of the biggest-ever sporting shocks, let alone just in boxing.
It would arguably be even bigger than when 42-1 underdog Buster Douglas famously knocked out then-undisputed and unbeaten world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson in 1990 in Tokyo.
"I'm bringing something that he hasn't seen before because he's only faced boxers. And they've been boxing their whole life. I haven't," Verhoeven said this week.
"So it's just a whole different approach. It's God's will. We'll see on Saturday. May the best man win.
"The first objective is to win. How we're going to win? We'll see. It it's a knockout, it's a knockout. If it's a decision, it's a decision. If it comes to a decision and I win? Wow."
Lapin vs Tani
At 6 foot 6 inches, Lapin is remarkably tall for a light-heavyweight and he is absolutely towering over Tani, who stands at around 6 foot.
It’s a bit of a cagey start and all a little ungainly from Lapin, before huge underdog Tani ups the tempo considerably in round two.
He’s very aggressive and front-footed, letting his hands go and asking questions of Lapin, who is under pressure and taking some solid shots.
He’s managing to catch him plenty on the way in, but Lapin isn’t enjoying being roughed up at the moment.
Undercard about to start
It’s time for the main card to get underway at the Pyramids of Giza.
As mentioned, Usyk’s long-time friend, training partner and fellow Ukrainian Daniel Lapin is up against France’s Benjamin Mendes Tani.
Lapin is undefeated at 13-0 and defending his WBA, WBO and IBF Inter-Continental light-heavyweight titles. Tani is 9-1.
Lapin, a towering figure at light-heavyweight, is a familiar fixture on stablemate Usyk’s undercards, having picked up the WBO belt and retained his WBA and IBF versions against Lewis Edmondson on the Usyk-Dubois 2 bill at Wembley last summer.
Those of you currently baking in the UK’s intensifying spring heatwave might be wondering how on earth there can be a fight card taking place outside in Egypt at this time of year.
It’s been around 32 degrees in Cairo today, only marginally hotter than in London.
The sun has now gone in however and it is worth remembering that Egypt are two hours ahead of the UK.
That means it will be around 1am local time when Usyk and Verhoeven are in the ring, so things will obviously be much, much cooler by then.
