OLEKSANDR USYK VS. RICO VERHOEVEN VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS & SOCIAL MEDIA REACTION
Giza, Egypt (May 24th, 2026)– Oleksandr Usyk defeated Rico Verhoeven via an 11th-round technical knockout on Saturday, May 23, 2026, to retain his WBC heavyweight world championship. Contested under the “Glory in Giza” banner, the highly anticipated crossover boxing match took place outdoors in front of the historic Pyramids of Giza in Egypt. The fight concluded under a heavy cloud of controversy due to a widely criticized referee stoppage.
Despite entering the bout as a massive -2500 betting favorite, Usyk was pushed to the absolute brink by Verhoeven, the long-reigning GLORY kickboxing heavyweight champion who was making only his second professional boxing appearance.
Verhoeven shockingly controlled long stretches of the fight using his 25-pound weight advantage, awkward movement, and intense physical pressure. The landscape of the fight shifted drastically in the 11th round. Usyk surged with urgency, connecting with a brutal right uppercut that dropped Verhoeven to the canvas late in Round 11.
Verhoeven beat the standing eight-count but bought extra recovery time when his corner had to replace his spat-out mouthguard. When action resumed, Usyk unleashed a furious barrage. Referee Mark Lyson jumped in and waved the fight off at 2:59 of Round 11—with exactly one second remaining on the clock—while Verhoeven was still on his feet defending against the ropes.
Scorecards at the Time of Stoppage.
Had the fight survived the remaining second of the 11th round to go to the 12th and final frame, the official Matchroom Boxing scorecards revealed a razor-thin matchup.
Judge Pasquale Procopio: Had Verhoeven leading 96-94. Judges Manuel Oliver Palomo & Fabian Guggenheim: Both scored a 95-95 dead-even tie.
Note: Because Usyk scored a 10-8 round due to the knockdown, he would have been ahead on two of the three official cards going into the final round. Conversely, the broadcast team at DAZN News had Verhoeven ahead 98-92 at the time of the TKO.
Verhoeven expressed immense pride in his performance but voiced heavy frustration with the “premature” stoppage, stating that the referee should have let him “go out on his shield” or hear the bell. Verhoeven openly stated his intention to formally appeal the result, arguing that the referee stopped the bout after the bell had technically expired. Boxing figures like Canelo Alvarez, however, defended the referee’s choice, claiming it saved Verhoeven from a far more damaging knockout.
Following his victory, the undefeated Usyk (25-0, 16 KOs) remains champion. While Saudi Arabian boxing adviser Turki Alalshikh expressed a desire to stage an official rematch in the Netherlands, the WBC is widely expected to order Usyk to next defend his title against mandatory challenger Agit Kabayel.
Main Card Results
WBC Heavyweight Title: Oleksandr Usyk def. Rico Verhoeven via TKO (Round 11, 2:59)
Vacant WBO Super Middleweight Title: Hamzah Sheeraz def. Alem Begic via KO (Round 2, 2:33)
WBA Welterweight Title: Jack Catterall def. Shakhram Giyasov via Unanimous Decision
Heavyweight Bout: Frank Sanchez def. Richard Torrez Jr. via KO (Round 2, 0:55)
WBO Super Flyweight Title: Mizuki Hiruta def. Mai Soliman via Unanimous Decision
Light Heavyweight Bout: Benjamin Mendes Tani def. Daniel Lapin via TKO (Round 4, 1:35)
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