Usyk Stops Verhoeven in 11th at Giza, Preserves WBC Title
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- Usyk dropped Verhoeven with a right uppercut in the final seconds of Round 11, and referee Mark Lyson stopped the fight officially at 2:59 — a call Verhoeven's corner immediately protested and that Verhoeven later said he may appeal, claiming the bell had already sounded.
- Two judges had the bout 95-95 at the time of stoppage while a third scored it 96-94 for Verhoeven, making the late finish the only thing separating Usyk from a stunning upset on the scorecards.
- Verhoeven, a Dutch kickboxer widely regarded as one of the best ever who held the Glory heavyweight title for 4,220 days, was fighting in only his second professional boxing match (his first since 2014) and gave Usyk sustained trouble with unorthodox movement, landing 113 of 508 punches (22%) to Usyk's 112 of 499 (22%).
- Usyk entered the fight a massive betting favorite but looked sluggish early; Verhoeven carried a 25-pound weight advantage (258.7 lbs to 233.3 lbs) and rocked Usyk with a hard uppercut in Round 3 that badly hurt the champion.
- The three-time undisputed champion, 39, was presented with two options for his next fight — a Verhoeven rematch or a heavyweight showdown with Agit Kabayel — and told ESPN, "Not a problem. Let's do it."
- Usyk defended his choice to take a non-boxer, saying, "For the first time, I am doing what I really want to do. Not what I must do and not what people expect from me."
Why it matters: Usyk, already 39 and with Joshua, Fury, and Dubois on his ledger, nearly saw his undefeated record and WBC title slip away to a part-time boxer in his second pro fight — a result that would have ranked among the biggest upsets in the division's history. The referee's late stoppage, now potentially under appeal, means the result could be revisited, and Usyk's next move (Verhoeven rematch or Kabayel) will determine whether the heavyweight picture stabilizes or stays in limbo.
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