The combat sports world is in an absolute uproar following Oleksandr Usyk’s controversial eleventh-round stoppage victory over kickboxing king Rico Verhoeven at 'Glory in Giza' in Egypt. What was expected to be a routine defense for the Ukrainian champion turned into a chaotic fight at the Pyramids of Giza.
During the fight, Verhoeven was widely seen as controlling the action against the pound-for-pound great, competing in just his second professional boxing bout.
Usyk, to his credit, was able to score a vicious knockdown in the eleventh round. With one second remaining in that same round, Usyk landed a flurry of punches, which caused referee Mark Lyson to jump in and wave off the fight.
Mohamed Tageldin / Middle East Images / AFP via Getty Images
Watch highlights of the fight, including the finishing sequence, here (via Ring Magazine on X):
Social Media Reactions
The decision to stop the contest sparked immediate outrage across social media. Influencer boxer Jake Paul led the charge, posting a critique of the referee’s timing and the judging:
Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, who famously nearly beat Tyson Fury, also weighed in on the finish:
While many current boxers thought Verhoeven was robbed of his chance to walk out in the final round, they were mostly surprised by the kickboxer’s ability to hang in there with the greatest heavyweight boxer in modern times.
Lightweight contender Ryan Garcia and Claressa Shields, the two-time Olympic gold medalist, were shocked by Rico Verhoeven’s performance leading up to Usyk’s finish:
Both were astounded that Usyk was able to mount a comeback in the eleventh round:
Shakur Stevenson, however, echoed the sentiment that the referee acted too hastily:
Stevenson, as well as nine-time NBA All-Star Damian Lillard, were shocked by Usyk’s performance:
Even famed boxing coach Teddy Atlas, who predicted Verhoeven had almost no chance to win the fight, took to social media to explain why he felt Verhoeven did better than he expected:
He also expressed how irate he was not just at the refereeing, but at the broadcast production for not showing the clock:
Stoppage After the Bell?
Turki Alalshikh posted a ringside angle of the TKO finish, and it seemed like the referee stepped in after the bell already rang:
After the fight, Verhoeven made it clear he believed he deserved to go out on his shield (via interview with Boxing News):
“They stopped the fight after the bell,” Verhoeven claimed. “When the referee intervened, I wasn’t dazed or anything like that. I looked at him, thinking, ‘Why are you stopping it?’ We were so close to making it to the end. It’s totally absurd. The referee must be aware of what he’s doing.”
The official scorecards only added fuel to the fire, revealing how the judges' opinion of the fight did not correspond with popular opinion (via Ring Magazine on X):
Two judges scored the fight dead even at 95-95 heading into the fateful eleventh round. The third judge actually had Verhoeven ahead 96-94 on the cards.
Despite the criticism, Usyk remained undefeated, extending his record to 25-0 with the TKO win.
After the fight, Usyk immediately turned his attention away from the controversy and toward the ongoing war in his homeland:
“Right now, my people in Ukraine are in bomb shelters, under attack,” Usyk said in the ring.
For now, the boxing world is left with a bitter taste and a debate that will not fade quickly. At the very least, for Verhoeven, his stock rose immensely despite the loss, and he proved he belongs on the sport's biggest stage.
