Oleksandr Usyk retained his heavyweight titles after a controversial referee stoppage in the 11th round of his fight against Rico Verhoeven on May 24, 2026 [1].
The result is significant because it preserves Usyk's dominance in the heavyweight division despite a late-fight surge from Verhoeven that nearly resulted in a historic upset.
The bout took place at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt. The contest ended abruptly when the referee halted the fight with only two seconds remaining in the 11th round [2]. This decision followed a late knockdown and a hard right hand delivered by Verhoeven, leading the official to deem that Usyk was unable to safely continue [3].
Observers said the stoppage was a shock, with some reports suggesting the referee intervened early to save the champion. This intervention prevented a potential knockout victory for the Dutch former kickboxer in the final moments of the frame [4].
The physical disparity between the fighters was evident throughout the match. Usyk weighed in at 16 st 9 lb, which is approximately 235 lb [5]. This placed Usyk at about 25 lb lighter than Verhoeven during the weigh-in process [5].
Despite the weight disadvantage, Usyk managed the pace of the fight until the final sequence of the 11th round. The abrupt end of the match has sparked debate regarding the timing of the referee's intervention, and whether the fight should have been allowed to conclude naturally [4].
“The referee halted the contest after a late knockdown and a hard right hand from Verhoeven”
The victory keeps Usyk's undefeated streak intact but leaves a cloud of controversy over the officiating. By stopping the fight just seconds before the end of the round, the referee avoided a definitive knockout result, likely leading to calls for an immediate rematch between the champion and the challenger.
