Oleksandr Usyk retained his WBC, WBA, and IBF heavyweight titles by stopping Rico Verhoeven with one second remaining in the 11th round at the Pyramids of Giza, Egypt, on May 23, 2026 [1, 2, 3, 4]. The 39-year-old Usyk extended his undefeated professional boxing record to 25-0 with the victory [1, 3, 4].
Verhoeven, 37, a Dutch former kickboxer, made only his second professional boxing appearance, having last fought in the ring 12 years ago [1, 2, 3, 4]. The fight put Usyk’s three heavyweight belts on the line, while Verhoeven was contesting solely for the WBC title [1, 3, 4].
Verhoeven started strong, landing powerful shots early and troubling Usyk with his aggression and style through much of the contest [1, 2, 4]. Usyk appeared heavy and lethargic at times during the fight, contrasting to the expectations that the 2012 Olympic champion would finish the bout earlier [1, 3, 4]. Going into the final rounds, the fight was very close, with two judges scoring it 95-95 and one judge favoring Verhoeven 96-94 after 10 rounds [4].
The referee stopped the fight shortly after Usyk knocked Verhoeven down in the 11th round, though Verhoeven beat the count and the stoppage drew controversy due to the little time remaining in the round [1, 2, 4]. Verhoeven said afterward, “I thought it was an early stoppage, but in the end it’s not up to me. The referee knows that we are almost at the end of the round... I was already super thankful for the opportunity as well” [1, 4].
The fight was held under the "Glory in Giza" banner, with theatrical ring walks including Verhoeven dressed as a pharaoh and Usyk as a Roman centurion [1, 3]. Usyk mentioned the ongoing war in Ukraine and his daughter’s fearful message during his post-fight comments, saying, “Right now, in Ukraine, my people and my country - there is bombing... My daughter sent me a message: ‘Papa, I love you, I’m afraid.’ I said, 'oh my God.'” [1, 3, 4]
Victory for Verhoeven would have ranked among boxing’s biggest shocks, surpassing Mike Tyson’s upset loss to Buster Douglas in 1990 [1, 3]. The fight ended after 2 minutes 59 seconds of the 11th round [4].
