Oleksandr Usyk v Rico Verhoeven: Result, scorecards, reaction, statistics, undercard results and earnings
Everything you need to know after Oleksandr Usyk retained his heavyweight titles with a controversial 11th round stoppage against kickboxer Rico Verhoeven.
Result
Pound-for-pound great Usyk was expected to make light work of Verhoeven, who was participating in just his second professional boxing bout.
The reality was that Verhoeven gave Usyk his most difficult fight to date as he went toe-to-toe with the generational great.
After a frustrating evening, Usyk found an extra gear in the penultimate round as he floored Verhoeven with a left uppercut.
The Dutchman beat the count but after a flurry of punches against the ropes, the referee stepped in and waved the fight off to the dismay of Verhoeven's corner.
Scorecards
The official scorecards at the time of the fight coming to an end read 95-95, 95-95 and 96-94 to Verhoeven.
If Usyk had not brought an end to proceedings in the 11th round, the two fighters would have entered the final round with little to separate them.
Post-Fight Reaction
Oleksandr Usyk
"Thank you so much, Rico. You are an amazing fighter. Thank you so much to your team. My team, I love you. My wife, I love you. You are my light and my heart.
"This fight was hard. It was a good fight. Thank you, God."
Rico Verhoeven
"I thought it was an early stoppage but in the end it's not up to me. I was already super thankful for this opportunity for Usyk to take this fight.
"I wanted the referee to let me go out on my shield or let me go in the twelfth. I felt we were pretty even on the scorecards. I am really thankful for everyone who came out. We are at the pyramids! Thank you so much."
Odds vs Result
Usyk was installed as the odds-on 1/18 favourite to beat Verhoeven, meaning there was a near 95% implied probability of the Ukrainian boxer winning the fight.
Verhoeven was the pre-fight underdog to win the fight at 25/1 and he was arguably around four minutes away from upsetting those odds.
Punch Statistics
Oleksandr Usyk | Rico Verhoeven | |
236 | Jabs Thrown | 265 |
23 | Jabs Landed | 20 |
263 | Power Thrown | 243 |
89 | Power Landed | 93 |
499 | Punches Thrown | 508 |
112 | Punches Landed | 113 |
Fight Earnings
It is estimated that Usyk has picked up £35 million for putting his WBC belt on the line against Verhoeven.
Verhoeven's cut of the purse is significantly less than that of his opponent's, although he has still secured a reported £12 million.
Undercard results
- Oleksandr Usyk def. Rico Verhoeven via TKO
- Hamzah Sheeraz def. Alem Begic via KO - Round 2
- Jack Catterall def. Shakhram Giyasov via unanimous decision
- Frank Sanchez def. Richard Torrez Jr. via KO - Round 2
- Mizuki Hiruta def. Mai Soliman via unanimous decision
- Benjamin Mendes Tani def. Daniel Lapin via TKO - Round 4
- Jamar Talley def. Basem Mamdouh via KO - Round 2
- Sultan Almohammed def. Deny Impart via KO - Round 1
- Mahmoud Moubarek def. Ali Sserunkuma via unanimous decision
