Morning Report | Tom Aspinall reacts to Rico Verhoeven ‘robbery’: ‘That is outrageous!’
MMA Fighting • • sports
Key Points:
- Tom Aspinall criticized the referee stoppage in Oleksandr Usyk's 11th-round win over Rico Verhoeven, calling it a "robbery" and claiming Verhoeven could have continued the fight safely.
- The stoppage occurred after the bell had sounded to end the round, leading to widespread fan backlash and Verhoeven's intention to appeal the loss due to referee error.
- Aspinall and many fans believed Verhoeven was ahead on the scorecards for most of the fight, although judges had the bout tied or narrowly in Verhoeven’s favor before the 11th round knockdown.
- Aspinall suggested boxing favors traditional Olympic-style boxers and is biased against fighters from other combat sports, expressing frustration over the perceived narrative against Verhoeven.
- The controversy highlights ongoing debates about referee decisions in high-profile boxing matches and may impact the outcome pending Verhoeven’s appeal.