Oleksandr Usyk narrowly defends titles vs. Rico Verhoeven in Egypt

Ukrainian heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk defended his WBA and IBF titles against former kickboxing champion Rico Verhoeven at a specially built arena near the Giza pyramids in Egypt. The bout went the distance with three judges scoring the fight 95‑95, 95‑95 and 96‑94 in Verhoeven’s favour before Usyk stopped his opponent two minutes and 59 seconds into the 11th round with a right uppercut, securing a technical knockout win.

Verhoeven, making only his second professional boxing appearance, fought an aggressive fight that many observers deemed one of the toughest challenges of Usyk’s career. The stoppage sparked debate, with Verhoeven calling it premature and demanding a rematch. After the victory Usyk acknowledged the difficulty of the contest, praised Verhoeven’s performance and briefly spoke about the war in Ukraine, mentioning a supportive message from his daughter.

The event drew high-profile spectators, including former champion Anthony Joshua and Hollywood actor Jason Statham, and featured elaborate staging with torch‑bearing fans and lighting that highlighted the pyramids.