Oleksandr Usyk rallied to a controversial 11th-round win over Rico Verhoeven to retain his WBC heavyweight title and avoid a legacy-shattering humiliation.
Two-weight undisputed champion Usyk (25-0, 16 KOs) has cleaned out the heavyweight division with two victories apiece over Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and Daniel Dubois.
This was supposed to be a fun shakeout on a grand stage, a Riyadh Season card taking place against the spectacular backdrop of the Great Pyramids of Giza.
But former long-reigning kickboxing champion Verhoeven (1-1, 1 KO), fighting for only the second time under the Queensberry rules, had not read the script and opened up a handy lead in the eyes of most observers over an unusually sluggish Usyk.
The champion found the quality he’d been grasping for all night when he floored Verhoeven with a brutal right uppercut. Amid the follow-up assault, with the challenger on unsteady legs, referee Mark Lyson jumped as the bell went to end round 11. But he wasn’t stopping the action; he was stopping the fight.
It was a moment that brought to mind Julio Cesar Chavez’s infamously disputed stoppage of Meldrick Taylor in 1990. Afterwards, Verhoeven and his trainer, Peter Fury, were gracious in defeat, acknowledging that the 12th round might have been a bridge too far after a phenomenal effort that brought them within touching distance of the greatest upset in heavyweight history.
Thoughts on this stoppage? 😱#UsykRico pic.twitter.com/xwGLj5g02G
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) May 23, 2026
Verhoeven was coming off more than a decade undefeated in his chosen code and he started well, offering lots of frenetic movement and proving to be very light on his feet for such a big man.
The sight of Usyk letting the first three rounds slide by was somewhat alarming for boxing purists, but the Ukrainian master gathering information during the opening rounds before surgically taking a foe apart is not uncommon.
That was what appeared to be on the cards when the champion reeled off crisp headshots in round four. The sense that a sensation might be brewing came as Verhoeven recovered to continue burrowing forward, offering relentless jerks and feints with his chin down to shove Usyk around and score frequently.
Usyk’s knees appeared to buckle in round seven, and his career-high weight of 233.3 lbs was starting to look like a grave mistake at 39 years of age, There were echoes of his old foe Fury being taken into deep waters by Francis Ngannou as he reckoned with a man taking the opportunity of his life.
The WBC’s open scoring had the bout 76-76 after eight rounds, a frankly egregious reading of the contest. Verhoeven kept coming, outworking Usyk but taking a few more shots heading into the championship rounds.
Scorecards at the time of the stoppage 👀 @DAZNBoxing @ringmagazine pic.twitter.com/oY6g8mpPwn
— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) May 23, 2026
Usyk fought like a man who knew he needed a knockout in Round 11, which began with Verhoeven 97-93 up on the Sporting News’ card. He was headhunting, but Verhoeven was happy to go with it, answering back with spearing jabs.
Finally, inside the final half-minute, Usyk got his man with an inch-perfect uppercut that sent Verhoeven tottering forward and down. He lost his gumshield and the additional time taken to remedy that left Usyk and his corner furious. The champion had 10 seconds to get it done and there had been five unanswered punches when Lyson jumped in on the bell with Verhoeven still on his feet.
Undefeated German heavyweight Agit Kabayal was in the ring afterwards in a pre-arranged call-out for Usyk, but — and what a thing to be saying — he has unfinished business with novice boxer Rico Verhoeven that really should be attended to. Saudi boxing supremo Turki Alalshikh suggested a rematch in a football stadium in Verhoeven’s native Netherlands. His performance in a perceived novelty event gives that suggestion a previously unforeseeable amount of credibility. Rico gave Usyk the fight of his heavyweight life and was robbed of the chance to try and finish the job.
Oleksandr Usyk vs. Rico Verhoeven full card results
- Oleksandr Usyk (c) vs. Rico Verhoeven for the WBC heavyweight title
- Hamzah Sheeraz def. Alem Begic (KO 2/12) for the WBO super middleweight title
- Jack Catterall def. Shakhram Giyasov (UD 12) to win vacant the WBA ‘regular’ welterweight title
- Frank Sanchez def. Richard Torrez Jr (KO 2/10).; Heavyweights
- Mizuki Hiruta (c) def. Mai Soliman (UD 10) to retain the WBO and Ring Magazine super flyweight title
- Benjamin Mendes Tani def. Daniel Lapin (TKO 4/10); Light Heavyweights
- Jamar Talley def. Basem Mamdouh (KO 2/6); Cruiserweights
Oleksandr Usyk vs. Rico Verhoeven live updates
OLEKSANDR USYK CLAIMS CONTROVERSIAL 11TH ROUND TKO TO DEFEAT RICO VERHOEVEN AND RETAIN WBC HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE
Round 11: Short right upstairs from Usky. He’s headhunting here. Maybe he has to. Another flurry. Back comes Rico with a stiff jab. Great shot to halt the onslaught. Usyk is bleeding from the nose. Oh and there it is, Usyk drops Rico with a brutal uppercut! Fantastic shot! The mouthpiece has come out and there are only 10 seconds left in the round. Usyk unloads in the corner. The bell goes but referee Mark Lyson steps in as it does. Ooohhhh, boy that’s going to be controversial!
Round 10: Ah, WBC open scoring had this all square after round eight. That’s egregious. Maybe Usyk will get out of jail. Verhoeven again looks the boss, marching Usyk back, finishing on the right hand. It’s incredible to see Usyk so passive and so lacking in solutions. Verhoeven lands a right to the body. Now a lefr downstairs. There doesn’t appear to be huge pop in Rico’s punches but he’s winning this round, like many other on volume. Ohh, but there are some big head shots from Usyk. Verhoeven wears them pretty well… and fires back with a right to the jaw of his own.
SN unofficial scorecard: Usyk 93-97 Verhoeven
Round 9: Oleksandr Usyk looks lethargic, old and out of ideas. If this does not change, this master boxer is going to suffer his first career defeat to a kickboxer. Usyk is landing some, but taking others. He’s so far off his usual level. He can’t get a read on Verhoeven at all.
SN unofficial scorecard: Usyk 83-88 Verhoeven
Round 8: Big right hands from Verhoeven. Usyk looks a little bit like a beaten man. This is absolutely astonishing. He’s running out of time to turn this around. A couple of big, whipping lefts from Usyk before the close before Verhoeven is able to turn him and smother him.
SN unofficial scorecard: Usyk 74-78 Verhoeven
Round 7: Usyk looks really flat here, Verhoeven lands a loooing right. We’re getting close to what could be a reputation torching performance. Good right through the guard from Verhoeven, and a clattering shot buckles Usyk’s knees! What on Earth is going on?!?! Usky is plodding and easy to hit and needs to find something quickly.
SN unofficial scorecard: Usyk 65-68 Verhoeven
Round 6: Verhoeven leans on Usyk, gets off some shots on the inside. Is Usyk coming in at his career heaviest, against a man in such phenomenal shape, becoming a problem for him? Rico lands a jab and a long left hook. He still looks fresh and has recovered so well from that round four scare.
SN unofficial scorecard: Usyk 56-58 Verhoeven
Round 5: They trade hooks and both land grazing shots before Verhoeven manhandles Usyk into the ropes again. The champion takes centre-ring as Rico’s twitching, feinting act continues. It’s really very impressive stuff, all things considered, but Usyk seems to be reading a lot more of his work now. Quieter round. Tough to split them.
SN unofficial scorecard: Usyk 47-48 Verhoeven
Round 4: Whatever happens from here, Verhoeven will emerge with immense credit. So how far can he push this towards the completely improbable? Oh, Usyk finds him with a succession of head shots, starting with a screw shot through the guard. Suddenly, Rico looks very disorganised. Not to mention in the very unfortunate position of having annoyed the best boxer in the world. That stooping head is in the firing line for Usyk’s hooks, although the champion misses wildly with a right uppercut. Now they trade at close quarters and Verhoeven has his gumshield dislodged.
SN unofficial scorecard: Usyk 38-38 Verhoeven
Round 3: Left uppercut from Usyk. It seems like he’s decided that’s going to be the punch. Verhoeven goes to the body but strays a little low. More really good aggression from Verhoeven, who is imposing his physicality on Usyk in a way that bigger elite heavyweights have largely been unable to. A right to the body from Rico. Now they trade and Usyk lands a juddering left. Usyk just looks to be breathing a little heavily here, but he lands a lovely counter one-two before unloading hooks in centre ring.
SN unofficial scorecard: Usyk 28-29 Verhoeven
Round 2: Verhoeven mauls Usyk into the ropes and cracks him with an uppercut. The champion comes to the party with a left uppercut, right hand. Rico continues to tuck up and come forward. Usyk definitely likes the look of the uppercut, and Verhoeven is circling towards a potential right hook. Rico really is absolutely frenetic in there. How loing can a man of his dimensions keep that up?
SN unofficial scorecard: Usyk 19-19 Verhoeven
Round 1: We’re ready to rumble. Usyk offers a final prayer before getting down to business. Lots of busy movement from Verhoeven, and he gets home with a straight right hand. Usyk not unduly perturbed, very much at the gathering information stage of his evening. Rico burrows in on another attack, chin down and shoulders rounded, shoving Usyk into the ropes. He has plenty of support in this outdoor arena. And a right to the body followed by an overhand right. Good opening round from the challenger.
SN unofficial scorecard: Usyk 9-10 Verhoeven
6:16 p.m. ET/ 11:16 p.m: We’re into national anthems. After that we’ll be ready to go round-by-round.
6:12 p.m. ET/ 11:12 p.m: Usyk also in full warrior garb, is here, His traditional Ukrainian soundtrack blaring at fireworks illuminate the sky above the pyramids. This should be a complete formality. It’s hard to envisage the great man laying the sort of egg Tyson Fury did against Francis Ngannou.
6:09 p.m. ET/ 11:09 p.m: A snarling, confident-looking Rico Verhoeven begins his ringwalk, glowering down the camera. Beating his gloves together. Loads of people dressed as Sphinxes. The big Dutchman is probably on a hiding to nothing, but as he now breaks out into a fast job into the ring, the can be no doubt he fancies the job.
6:06 p.m. ET/ 11:06 p.m: Why’ve had an hour between Sheeraz getting the job done and the main event ringwalking is anybody’s guess. Ridiculous. Anyway, Michael Buffer is in there doing his stuff now and we’re almost ready to go.
HAMZAH SHEERAZ STOPS ALEN BEEBIC IN ROUND TWO TO WIN VACANT WBO TITLE AT 168!
5:07 p.m. ET/ 10:07 p.m: Sheeraz metes out a one-sided beatdown that many of us feared might be the story here. The good thing is that Sheeraz now has a world belt and there are plenty of attractive fights in his immediate future. Including, perhaps, Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, who looked on as an impressed ringside observer.
4:55 p.m. ET/ 9:55 p.m: It’s co-main event time, with Alem Begic making his way to the ring for his date with Hamzah Sheeraz.
Jack Catterall defeats Shakhram Giyasov via unanimous decision to win vacant WBA ‘regular’ welterweight title
4:30 p.m. ET/ 9:30 p.m: For my money, that was a career-best display from Catterall. Absolutely exceptional stuff to get the not via margins of 118-109, 119-108 and a too close 116-111 on the judges’ scorecards. It’s Rolly Romero next, or Catterall gets elevated to full champion status. It’s been such a long road since that controversial points loss to Josh Taylor that he won’t care a jot.
4:07 p.m. ET/ 9:07 p.m: This is becoming an ordeal for Giyasov, whose nose is all over his face from eating Catterall left hands. It’s a superb display from El Gato, so far. You sense the win inside the distance is there for him, but there’s no point taking undue risks when beating up a puncher.
3:56 p.m. ET/ 8:56 p.m: Giyasov takes the fourth on my card as he gets his feet into rage more effectively and Catterall lets the action drift. The Chorley man still has a handy lead.
3:43 p.m. ET/ 8:43 p.m: BST: FIRST ROUND KNOCKDOWN FOR CATTERALL! The Briton lands a peach of a southpaw left hand, right down the pipe to deposit Giyasov onto the seat of his shorts. That’s a heavy knockdown. Giyasov on unsteady legs but makes it to the bell.
3:35 p.m. ET/ 8:35 p.m/ BST: Jack Catterall and Shakhram Giyasov are both in the right for a high-class, 50/50 welterweight battle.
HUGE ONE-SHOT KO FROM FRANK SANCHEZ WIPES OUT RICHARD TORREZ IN ROUND TWO!!!!
2:53 p.m. ET/ 7:53 p.m/ BST: Good heavens! Torrez was busy, quick, in and out of range and clearly won the opening round. But the wily Sanchez was measuring him. The American was making the running in round two but Sanchez squared him up and detonated a short right uppercut bang on Torrez’s chin. His eyes rolled back as Torrez landed flat on his back. He grasped around to make the count but that was never realistic.
THIS IS BRUTAL 😤
🎟️ Buy USYK vs RICO HERE –>https://t.co/FoiaUucafv#UsykRico | Live now on DAZN | @RingMagazine pic.twitter.com/Z4KQfekrK5
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) May 23, 2026
2:45 p.m. ET/ 7:45 p.m/ BST: Heavyweight action up next. Richard Torrez Jr. walks to Beathoven as is his custom, followed by experienced Cuban Frank Sanchez. This is a final eliminator for the IBF title, one of Usyk’s belts that is not on the line tonight. The form is with Torrez and Sanchez might have to ride out an early storm.
Mizuki Hiruta retains WBO super flyweight title with unanimous decision win over Mai Soliman
2:24 p.m. ET/ 7:24 p.m/ BST:Soliman landed her most telling right hand of the fight, wobbling Hiruta and piling on the pressure. There was success for the challenger in the ninth too, with Hiruta sporting a welt under her right eye. She got back to her boxing more effectively in the 10th and had more than enough rounds in the bank in any case. The judges had it 99-91 and 98-92 (twice) in favour of Hiruta.
2:08 p.m. ET/ 7:08 p.m/ BST: It’s been a sublime exhibition from Hiruta heading into the second half of the contest. Soliman has got of a few of her signature, booming right hands, but the champion’s footwork is on another level and the rhythm and variety of her attacks are a delight to behold.
1:45 p.m. ET/ 6:45 p.m/ BST: We’ve got a potentially spicy one up next. Egyptian-born and Australian-based Mai Soliman is back home and challenging for the WBO super flyweight title against the formidable Mizuki Hiruta. Soliman has five stoppages in her past six wins and is a very life underdog in this one.
Benjamin Mendes Tani stops Daniel Lapin in round four!
1:25 p.m. ET/ 6:25 p.m/ BST:A huge, huge upset to get things going in Giza and the Uysk gym have to pick up their man from a devastating defeat. Lapin was up on the cards against a tough, willing but limited foe. Then, early in round four, Tani boomed a left uppercut into Lapin’s jaw and he tottered to the canvas. The Frenchman was not about to let his chance pass him by and the body shot that sent Lapin to the canvas for the second time appeared to knock all the fight out of him. The Ukrainian gamely tried to ride out the storm but, when he went down under another volley of Tani shots, the referee waved it off. Blimey!
FIRST BACK FLIP CELLY AT THE PYRAMIDS 🤩
Benjamin Mendes Tani has defeated Daniel Lapin 😱
🎟️ Buy USYK vs RICO HERE –>https://t.co/FoiaUucafv#UsykRico | Live now on DAZN | @RingMagazine pic.twitter.com/gGJUmNTV8H
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) May 23, 2026
1 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m/ BST: Hello and welcome to The Sporting News’ live coverage of Oleksandr Usyk vs. Rico Verhoeven aka Glory In Giza. Our first fight of the main card is about to commence, with Usyk’s gym-mate Daniel Lapin on his way to the ring to fight France’s Benjamin Mendes Tani.
Oleksandr Usyk vs. Rico Verhoeven start time
- Date: Saturday, May 23
- Start time: 1 p.m. ET | 10 a.m. PT | 6 p.m. BST
- Main event start time (approx.): 6 p.m. ET | 3 p.m. PT | 11 p.m. BST
- Location: Pyramids of Giza – Egypt
Where to watch Oleksandr Usyk vs. Rico Verhoeven
- Live Stream: DAZN
- PPV Price: $59.99/£24.99
Oleksandr Usyk vs. Rico Verhoeven will be available on DAZN worldwide.
A DAZN monthly subscription is $20.99 on a 12-month contract or $30.99 month-to-month. The annual subscription is $224.99. Those numbers in the UK are £9.99, £19.99 and £99.99 respectively
The PPV price is $59.99/£24.99. You can also sign up to the DAZN Ultimate package to watch PPV boxing at no extra cost.
DAZN Ultimate is DAZN’s premium subscription tier, which includes a minimum of 12 pay‑per‑view boxing events per year as part of the subscription. That includes major heavyweight bouts such as Usyk vs. Verhoeven, plus over 185 fight nights annually.
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