Home / News / Usyk Drops Verhoeven In 11 — Glory In Giza Ends With The Champion Doing What Champions Do
Usyk Drops Verhoeven In 11 — Glory In Giza Ends With The Champion Doing What Champions Do
HEAVYWEIGHT

Usyk Drops Verhoeven In 11 — Glory In Giza Ends With The Champion Doing What Champions Do

HEAVYWEIGHT

Usyk Drops Verhoeven In 11 — Glory In Giza Ends With The Champion Doing What Champions Do

Oleksandr Usyk stopped Rico Verhoeven with one second left in the 11th round at the Pyramids of Giza. Ten rounds of awkward graft, one moment of class, fight over.

  • Oleksandr Usyk dropped Rico Verhoeven with a left hand late in round 11, referee stepping in with one second on the clock at Pyramids of Giza on May 23 2026.
  • First ten rounds were ugly chess — Verhoeven's 25-pound size advantage and unorthodox kickboxer rhythm had Usyk fighting on the back foot, three judges had him a round up at the time of the stoppage.
  • WBC strap stays in Giza, Frank Sanchez is the IBF mandatory after the same card, and Usyk's next move is the WBO/WBA/IBO defence everyone actually wants — Itauma, Sanchez or Joshua next.
May 24, 2026 By Luke Parker • Boxing Lookout

The Champion Does Champion Things

Right then. Eleven rounds. One second to go. Oleksandr Usyk dipped, planted his front foot, and landed the left hand that finished Rico Verhoeven at the Pyramids of Giza last night. The referee jumped in at 2:59 of round 11 with one tick left on the clock. WBC heavyweight strap stays with the Ukrainian. Make no mistake — for ten and three-quarter rounds, this was a properly uncomfortable night. Then the bell hadn't rung and the champion did champion things.

Ugly For Ten Rounds — And That's Fine

Let's not beat around the bush. This was not a vintage Usyk performance through the first three-quarters of the night. Verhoeven's 25-pound size advantage was real and so was his kickboxer rhythm. He used a long, jabbing left, he banged Usyk's shoulder, and he kept the champion off his usual angles. The official cards had it close — two judges had Usyk a round up at the time of the stoppage, one had it level. It was a proper fight, not a coronation.

But Usyk's done this dance before. Against Daniel Dubois the second time, against Anthony Joshua twice — he absorbs, he builds, he waits, and then he changes the entire fight in a single exchange. That's exactly what happened in round 11. Verhoeven reached, the champion stepped left, the left hand landed flush, and a 6'5" kickboxing emperor was sat down on the canvas at the foot of the Pyramids.

Verhoeven Deserves The Respect

Make no mistake — Rico Verhoeven walked into that ring as a 36-year-old kickboxer making his pro boxing debut on a card watched by 60 million people, and he gave Usyk genuine trouble for ten rounds. That's not a token effort. He cut off the ring, he used his size, he wasn't there to survive — he was there to win. The fact he came up short with one second left in round 11 says everything about the levels at the very top of heavyweight boxing. Class act.

What's Next — And It Has To Be A Proper One

Right, the diary. The IBF eliminator on the same card saw Frank Sanchez ice Richard Torrez Jr in two rounds, so the Cuban is the IBF mandatory. Moses Itauma is sitting on August 8 at the O2. Joshua has the July tune-up in Riyadh booked. Usyk's promoter side have already hinted at one more before retirement. If you know, you know — that one more has to be a proper one. Sanchez is the mandatory, Itauma is the future, Joshua is the money. Take your pick.

The Prediction Was Right — Just

Boxing Lookout said it before the bell — Usyk by late stoppage. Round 11, one second left, left hand on the temple. Just about. Brilliant. The champion still rules at heavyweight, the WBC belt stays in Ukrainian hands, and Glory In Giza ended exactly the way the very best fights end — with the very best fighter doing the very best thing at the very last moment.

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