By Felix Jesus Mendoza
The end of the combat held at the Pyramids of Giza continues generating reactions in the sports environment. The fighter Rico Verhoeven announced that his work team will present a current appeal to challenge the intervention of arbitrator Designate Lyson facing Oleksandr Usyk.
The 37-year-old athlete offered a performance that complicated the Ukrainian champion for most of the contest.
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Despite having only one background in paid boxing, The challenger managed to establish constant pressure that kept him with even numbers on the score cards.
The moment of controversy in the eleventh round
The situation changed when Usyk landed an uppercut that dropped his opponent. After exceeding the protection account and resuming actions, the third on the surface He stopped the confrontation with just one second left on the official clock.
The challenger’s team argues that the fight was stopped illegally. In an interview granted to the media Boxing News, Rico Verhoeven He explained his position: “They stopped the fight after the bell rang. The bell rang and then they stopped the fight. I think we’re going to appeal, because this doesn’t make sense.”.
🗣️ Rico Verhoeven after the controversial stoppage in opposition to Oleksandr Usyk:
“I thought it became an early stoppage. Within the discontinue, it’s less than me. Don’t discontinue it man, it became so shut. Let me exit on my protect.” pic.twitter.com/J6gz0Pbt5V
— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) Might perhaps perhaps simply 23, 2026
Arguments to demand review of the ruling
The former kickboxing champion maintains that he had the physical capacity to continue into the twelfth round. He told Boxing News that after hearing the final ten-second signal, his focus was to keep his guard up and continue moving.
In his statements to the same source, Rico Verhoeven He detailed his reaction to the arbitration decision: “That’s why when the referee came in, I wasn’t dazzled or anything. I was looking at the referee. Why did you stop? We’re almost there.”
The athlete believes that the ring authority must recognize the miscalculation with the stopwatch. According to the vision of Rico Verhoeven shared with the specialized media, the result should be declared void or defined by the judges’ cards.
The long-established analysis of his performance in Egypt
Beyond the administrative dispute, the athlete valued the execution of the work plan carried out by his corner. The strategy implemented managed to neutralize several offensive tools of the unified monarch, an unusual fact in Usyk’s recent defenses.
“We had a brilliant strategy and it worked. I am very proud and very happy. I had not seen any boxer do that to him until tonight,” concluded Rico Verhoeven in his intervention.
The division now awaits the verdict of this appeal and evaluates public requests for a possible direct rematch.
Keep reading:
- Canelo Álvarez rules out Benavídez fighting again at 175 pounds
- Oleksandr Usyk knocked out in the last breath in a demanding fight in Egypt
- Hamzah Sheeraz knocked out to take the WBO belt and challenged Canelo
