Oleksandr Usyk came through a tougher-than-expected night against Rico Verhoeven, with his performance a far cry from the emphatic demolition job that many had anticipated.
Perhaps this was always the risk, as without a dominant victory – completely one-sided from start to finish – Usyk was never going to receive even a shred of credit.
Instead, there would be talk of him losing a step or two, or at least having a ‘bad night at the office’, and this is exactly the type of reaction that many have given to his 11th-round stoppage at Egypt’s Pyramids of Giza yesterday evening.
Worse still, the finish itself was drenched in controversy, given that referee Mark Lyson intervened at the sound of the bell, with Verhoeven attempting to weather the storm after having risen from a heavy knockdown.
Perhaps the Dutchman might have otherwise heard the final bell, at which point the scorecards would be close enough to warrant even further controversy.
Either way, the man with only one prior professional boxing match to his name – against an opponent who subsequently retired with an 0-6 record – has doubtless emerged from this Glory in Giza clash with considerable credit.
Usyk, on the other hand, has almost been cast as the unofficial loser.
He may have been forgiven for sacrificing the first two rounds, where the southpaw was faced with an unorthodox opponent who fought with considerable confidence.
Clearly, his plan was to figure out this awkward puzzle – methodically breaking him down – rather than go for the early stoppage and run the risk of getting clipped with a reckless right hand.
As the rounds progressed, though, it no longer felt that Usyk was biding his time – waiting for the perfect moment to pounce – but that he, instead, was suddenly in serious danger of suffering his first professional defeat.
In that sense, Verhoeven played his part remarkably well; there is certainly something to be said for the fact that his style, for all of Usyk’s experience, represented uncharted territory for the unified heavyweight champion.
Usyk shows flaws ahead of Kabayel challenge
Others, meanwhile, will argue that Usyk has simply reached a stage where, as he heads into his next outing, he is suddenly more beatable than ever before.
In terms of who comes next, then, the obvious and most deserving candidate would have to be WBC ‘interim’ champion Agit Kabayel, who came face-to-face with Usyk yesterday evening.
Known for his swarming pressure and high-volume output, Kabayel stopped three of his last four opponents – Zhilei Zhang, Frank Sanchez and Arslanbek Makhmudov – with repeated body attacks.
Whether rightly or wrongly, the midsection has been highlighted as an area of weakness for Usyk, most notably after his first encounter with Daniel Dubois.
Back then, in 2020, Dubois landed a borderline right hand which was ultimately ruled a lowblow, affording Usyk sufficient time to recover from the shot.
If nothing else, this supposed weakness – along with observations that he is a fighter in decline – could make for a compelling pre-fight narrative if Kabayel, a prolific body puncher, ends up facing the Ukrainian.
Earlier this week, Turki Alalshikh expressed his interest in taking Usyk to Istanbul, Turkey, albeit with no mention of an opponent or specific date.
But surely Kabayel – a man of Kurdish origin – would represent the most likely dance partner, especially if Usyk wishes to keep defending his WBC title?
In any case, the 39-year-old will have a decision to make: either face his mandatory challenger or vacate the WBC belt and enter an immediate rematch with Verhoeven.
Of the two, he would probably receive greater credit for defeating Kabayel, a fully-fledged contender, so surely their respective teams can reach a deal to collide in Istanbul?
Then, if he manages to extend his unbeaten record, a rematch with Verhoeven – where he is better prepared and more familiar with the kickboxer’s style – could offer an unexpected form of closure to the illustrious career of Usyk.
