Rico Verhoeven offered Usyk an immediate rematch following the commission’s decision
Rico Verhoeven announced this on Instagram.
The commission rejected Rico Verhoeven’s protest against the result of his fight against Oleksandr Usyk.
The bout took place on 23 May 2026 in Giza, Egypt, and ended with Usyk winning by technical knockout in the 11th round.
After the fight, Verhoeven claimed that the referee had stopped the bout too early and lodged an official protest.
Why Verhoeven disagreed with the result
According to Verhoeven, the commission confirmed that the bell signalling the end of the 11th round had already sounded in the ring when the referee awarded the technical knockout to Usyk.
Furthermore, the Dutchman claimed that the ring-side doctor confirmed he showed no signs of disorientation after the fight.
Despite this, the result of the bout was left unchanged.
What Rico Verhoeven said
Verhoeven emphasised that his protest was not an attempt to undermine Usyk’s victory.
In his words, Usyk is one of the best fighters of his generation, but after 11 rounds, the fans had the right to see the final round.
The Dutchman stated that the commission’s decision addressed the legal issues, but did not resolve the main question – how exactly the fight should have ended.
Call for a rematch
Following the verdict, Verhoeven proposed an immediate rematch to Usyk.
For the Dutchman, this was only his second professional boxing bout. Prior to this, he had gained fame as one of the world’s most decorated kickboxers.
What is known about Usyk’s next opponent
The World Boxing Council sees the undefeated German Agit Kabayel as Oleksandr Usyk’s next opponent.
WBC President Mauricio Suleiman has stated that Kabayel has priority over Verhoeven for a fight against Usyk.
The Usyk vs Verhoeven fight sparked controversy over the moment the bout was stopped.
Despite the commission’s official decision, Verhoeven continues to insist that the sporting outcome of the fight was not fully decided, and is calling for a rematch.
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