Oleksandr Usyk, Ukraine's unbeaten heavyweight world champion, stopped Dutch former kickboxer Rico Verhoeven with one second remaining in the 11th round to avoid what would have been one of the biggest boxing upsets of all time on Saturday.
The WBC title fight at the pyramids of Giza was considered a mismatch, but Verhoeven, whose sole previous professional boxing fight was 12 years ago, tore up the script from the opening bell and looked on course to win until the controversial stoppage.
Verhoeven's jerky style, bulldozing aggression and powerful right hand troubled a sluggish-looking Usyk for most of the fight. In a chaotic ending, Usyk dropped the challenger late in the 11th round and the referee waved it off after Usyk pounced when Verhoeven beat the count shortly before the bell.
"I thought it was an early stoppage but in the end it's not up to me," Verhoeven told Dazn. "I wanted the referee to let me go out on my shield or let me go in the 12th. I felt we were pretty even on the scorecards." He added that Usyk had offered him a rematch.
Usyk said: "I know right now, Ukrainian people are sitting in the bomb shelter, my daughter too, in a bomb shelter, sent me a message saying, 'Papa, I love you, you will win'. Thank you so much, Rico. You are an amazing fighter."
