Usyk Defeats Rico In Controversial Finish

Unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk (25-0, 16 KOs) overcame an inspired performance from former kickboxing champion Rico Verhoeven (1-1, 1 KO) to stop him in the eleventh round, however the finish was shrouded in controversy.

The bout, in which only Usyk’s WBC title was on the line, began with Verhoeven targeting Usyk’s chin with straight rights, and he successfully delivered heavy shots early in the fight. Rico repeatedly closed the distance, initiating clinches to smother Usyk’s movement.

The fourth round, though, delivered the fight’s first major shift in momentum. Usyk timed an uppercut that visibly rocked Verhoeven, and immediately hunted for the finish with a barrage of left hands and hooks, but the challenger fired back with heavy right hands of his own. By Round 7 and 8, the tide turned back to Rico’s favor.

Verhoeven targeted the body before looping a hook upstairs that shook the champion. By the end of the ninth round, Usyk looked overwhelmed, however the 39-year-old champion surged back in the penultimate round dropping the challenger, and although Rico beat the count, Usyk swarmed and unleashed unanswered combinations. Before Verhoeven could fire back or escape the corner, the referee abruptly stepped in between the fighters and called a halt to the contest with just 1 second left in the 11th round.

Many feel the stoppage was premature, but nevertheless Usyk survived a major upset and keeps his championship belts.

🤯💥 USYK KNOCKS OUT VERHOEVEN IN THE R11!! WOW

This was an insane fight. Stopped right on the clock. pic.twitter.com/jbx584jIQr

— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) May 23, 2026