Oleksandr Usyk responds to controversy over 'early' stoppage in Rico Verhoeven fight
boxingnewsonline.net • • general
Key Points:
- Oleksandr Usyk defended his stoppage of Rico Verhoeven after an 11th-round knockdown, dismissing claims that the referee acted prematurely.
- Usyk, a heavy favorite, faced unexpected resistance from Verhoeven, who had only one prior professional boxing match before their bout.
- Verhoeven performed well in the early rounds, with one judge scoring the fight in his favor and another having it even before the stoppage.
- Criticism has been aimed at referee Mark Lyson for stopping the fight immediately after the bell, but Usyk stated he focuses solely on his boxing and not referee decisions.
- Despite the loss, Verhoeven earned praise for his performance and nearly captured Usyk’s WBC world title.