Rico Verhoeven, the Dutch former kickboxer turned boxer, has called for an apology and a rematch following his contentious stoppage loss to unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk last Saturday. The fight, a WBC title bout at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, was halted with just one second remaining in the 11th round.
The stoppage has sparked debate, with Verhoeven insisting he could have continued. Replays suggested the bell may have rung before the referee intervened. Scorecards published by The Ring magazine showed two judges had the fight tied 95-95 entering the 11th round, while the third had Verhoeven ahead 96-94.
“I want just an apology. What else can we do? I can’t demand anything else,” Verhoeven told the BBC on Thursday, confirming his team had lodged an appeal with the WBC. “Mistakes can be made because we’re all human and that’s OK. But all I’m looking for is: ‘Yeah, sorry guys, this could have gone differently.’ That’s it and then let’s continue from there and get to the rematch.”
However, a rematch may not be straightforward. Germany’s Agit Kabayel is the WBC’s mandatory challenger, meaning Usyk could face him first. Verhoeven acknowledged the uncertainty but remained confident. “Let’s see what pops up next,” he said. “But I have to be honest, it’s got to be big. I feel like I’m the uncrowned king.”
