Overview
- The fight ended when referee Mark Lyson stopped the contest about three seconds before the end of the 11th round, awarding Oleksandr Usyk a TKO and allowing him to retain the WBC title.
- Video and eyewitness accounts show Rico Verhoeven was knocked down in the 11th, rose to his feet and was still standing when the referee intervened, prompting immediate dispute over whether the bell had already sounded.
- Verhoeven has filed an official protest and publicly called the stoppage premature while saying he believed he was winning earlier rounds under the bout’s open scoring system.
- Usyk’s sporting director defended the call as necessary to protect Verhoeven’s health and a trainer for Verhoeven said the referee told him later that he did not hear the bell.
- The Middle East Professional Boxing Commission review and pre‑fight conditional rulings by sanctioning bodies will determine next steps, with a rematch uncertain because of mandatory challenger obligations and the rarity of overturned decisions.