Verhoeven calls for apology, sets sight on Usyk rematch

Rico Verhoeven wants another shot at Oleksandr Usyk after their controversial heavyweight title fight in Egypt, with the Dutchman also calling for an apology from boxing officials over the timing of the stoppage. 

The former Glory kickboxing champion pushed Usyk deep into the fight before referee Mark Lyson stepped in during the closing seconds of round 11. 

That moment has since become a topic of debate, with many boxing fans questioning why the fight had to be ended at that time. 

Verhoeven’s camp filed an official appeal with the WBC less than 24 hours after the fight, questioning both the stoppage and the scoring. 

Two judges reportedly had the fight level at 95-95 entering the round, while another had Verhoeven ahead 96-94, showing how competitive the contest had become. 

The Dutchman believes that context matters when judging the stoppage because he had already beaten the count after Usyk’s uppercut knockdown and was still standing when the referee waved the fight off.

Speaking to BBC Sport, Verhoeven said he is not demanding anything unrealistic from the authorities. 

Instead, he wants boxing officials to acknowledge that the ending created confusion and should be reviewed properly. 

He said: “Mistakes can be made because we’re all human, and that’s okay. But all I’m looking for actually is: ‘yeah, sorry guys, this could have gone differently – this is something we have to look at, and hopefully this doesn’t happen in the future’.”

The fight itself changed perceptions around Verhoeven’s boxing ability. Before Saturday night, many viewed the matchup as another easy fight for Usyk. 

Instead, Verhoeven spent large stretches of the fight landing clean right hands and straight shots while forcing Usyk backwards more often than expected.

Verhoeven believes that despite the loss, he was able to make “a crack in the guy that was considered invincible.” 

That reason is what fuels the 37-year-old’s hope for a rematch that should take place sometime after getting the apology. 

For now, he has to enjoy his reign as the “uncrowned king”, till he gets another shot at a title fight.