GIZA, Egypt - Oleksandr Usyk, Ukraine's undefeated heavyweight world champion, avoided one of the biggest upsets in boxing history by stopping Dutch kickboxer Rico Verhoeven with one second left in the 11th round of their WBC title fight at the Pyramids of Egypt on Saturday.
What was widely expected to be a mismatch turned into a struggle from the opening bell. Verhoeven, who had only one professional boxing fight in the last 12 years, shocked the crowd by taking the fight deep into the championship rounds, with some scorecards putting him ahead.
Usyk, 39, looked lethargic and came in heavier than usual. The 11th round changed everything: a perfectly placed right uppercut sent Verhoeven to the canvas. He beat the count, but the referee stepped in to stop further punishment.
"I thought it was an early stoppage, but in the end it's not up to me," Verhoeven said. "I was already super thankful for this opportunity."
The victory keeps Usyk's WBA, IBF, and WBC titles intact, extending his record to 25 consecutive wins. A loss would have stripped him of the WBA and IBF belts, leaving them vacant.