Oleksandr Usyk defeated Rico Verhoeven by knockout on May 23, 2026, following a controversial referee stoppage in the final seconds of round 11 [1, 4].
The result is significant because the fight was nearly equal on the scorecards before the finish, leaving many to question if Verhoeven was denied a chance to recover. The bout took place at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt [2, 5].
The fight remained competitive through the first 10 rounds. According to official records, the judges' scores at that point were 95-95 from Manuel Oliver Palomo and 95-95 from Fabian Guggenheim [2]. A third judge, Pasquale Procopio, had the score at 96-94 in favor of Verhoeven [2].
The controversy centered on the timing of the final sequence. Usyk scored a late knockdown in round 11 [1]. The referee stepped in to stop the fight immediately after, resulting in a victory for Usyk [1, 3]. Some reports classified the finish as a TKO [1], while others described it as a knockout [3].
Analysts said the timing of the stoppage was premature given how close the match had been. If the 11th round had been scored normally, it would have been 10-8 in favor of Usyk [2]. However, the referee's decision to end the contest in the final seconds prevented the fight from going to a full decision or a potential 12th round.
The decision sparked immediate debate among observers who said the stoppage was a way to deny a potential upset by Verhoeven [3]. Despite the dispute, Usyk remains the victor of the encounter [1].
“The bout ended in a controversial stoppage in the final seconds of round 11”
This result highlights the ongoing tension between referee safety protocols and the competitive integrity of high-stakes boxing. Because the scorecards were nearly deadlocked, the referee's subjective decision to stop the fight rather than allow a count to finish effectively decided the outcome of the match, potentially altering the career trajectory of both fighters.
