Usyk floors Verhoeven late as heavyweight champion extends unbeaten run
GIZA, Egypt — Oleksandr Usyk kept his grip on the heavyweight division on Saturday night, stopping Dutch kickboxing star Rico Verhoeven in the 11th round to retain his WBC and WBA heavyweight titles in a high-profile crossover bout staged at the Pyramids of Giza.
The Ukrainian champion, widely regarded as one of the finest pound-for-pound fighters of his generation, controlled the contest with patience, movement and a steady body attack before the referee stepped in late in the championship rounds. The victory moved Usyk to an unbeaten professional record and reinforced his status as the sport’s dominant heavyweight.
Verhoeven, a long-reigning glory kickboxing champion with a reputation for durability and conditioning, entered the ring as a major underdog in only his second professional boxing appearance. But the Dutchman showed flashes of competitive urgency early, trying to pressure Usyk and turn the fight into a physical battle. Over time, however, Usyk’s sharper footwork, cleaner punching and ring craft began to tell.
By the middle rounds, the pattern was clear: Usyk was dictating the distance, making Verhoeven reset repeatedly and landing the more meaningful shots. The champion varied his attack to the head and body, gradually slowing Verhoeven’s forward momentum. As the bout deepened, the physical toll became more visible on the challenger, whose best moments came in brief bursts rather than sustained combinations.
The decisive sequence arrived in the 11th round, when Usyk increased the pressure and forced the referee’s hand with a barrage that left Verhoeven unable to meaningfully answer. The stoppage preserved Usyk’s titles and added another statement victory to a career already filled with major wins at cruiserweight and heavyweight.
The fight had drawn significant attention not only because of the title stakes, but because of its unusual nature. Verhoeven brought elite combat sports credentials, but he was stepping far outside his comfort zone against an established world-class boxer with a long amateur pedigree and a proven professional record. Before the bout, promoter Eddie Hearn had described the matchup as “impossible on paper” for Verhoeven, while acknowledging that combat sports history is full of surprises.
That imbalance showed in the ring as the rounds wore on. Usyk’s background as an Olympic gold medalist and former undisputed cruiserweight champion again proved decisive. His ability to remain composed under pressure, change angles and punch accurately in combinations made the difference against a larger, powerful opponent who was trying to impose a different style.
Verhoeven deserved credit for surviving deep into the fight and refusing to fold under the champion’s volume. But the Dutchman struggled to consistently land cleanly on a fighter known for making elite opponents miss and pay. Usyk’s defense, balance and timing were once again central to his success.
For Usyk, the win was another confirmation that his heavyweight reign remains intact despite the division’s many elite challengers and the long list of possible megafights still ahead. At 38, he continues to show the ring IQ and conditioning that have made him one of the most difficult fighters in the world to solve.
The setting in Egypt added a dramatic backdrop to a bout already steeped in spectacle. With the ancient pyramids as the stage, the matchup was designed to capture attention well beyond the usual boxing audience. In the end, the action in the ring matched the occasion: a disciplined champion, a brave challenger and a late stoppage that ended an intriguing but ultimately one-sided contest.
Usyk’s latest victory will likely fuel questions about his next move, including whether he will pursue another marquee defense or seek a legacy-defining undisputed showdown. For now, though, the message from Giza was unmistakable: even against a celebrated striker from another combat sport, the heavyweight champion remained a step ahead.
Verhoeven, meanwhile, leaves with a valuable experience and a measure of respect for taking on one of boxing’s best under highly unusual circumstances. But in the final analysis, the night belonged to Usyk, whose technical brilliance and late-round pressure ensured the titles stayed with him.
As the heavyweight landscape continues to shift, one thing remains constant — Oleksandr Usyk is still the man everyone else has to chase.