Overview
- Oleksandr Usyk was declared winner by 11th‑round TKO after referee Mark Lyson stopped the fight at 2:59 in Cairo's Pyramids of Giza event on May 23.
- Official scorecards and punch counts showed an unusually close fight through 10 rounds with two judges at 95‑95, one at 96‑94 for Verhoeven, and CompuBox‑style numbers of 113 punches landed for Verhoeven versus 112 for Usyk.
- The stoppage drew immediate protest because Verhoeven beat the count after an uppercut, was given time to replace his mouthguard, and the referee then halted action as the round was ending.
- Verhoeven has signalled an intention to appeal the result, while promoters and officials have publicly discussed either the WBC mandatory challenger Agit Kabayel or a commercially driven rematch as the next opponent for Usyk.
- The outcome leaves two clear consequences: Usyk keeps his unbeaten record and WBC belt, and the disputed finish has intensified debate over crossover matchups, officiating standards, and how sanctioning rules will determine the champion's near‑term path.