Rico Verhoeven, despite maintaining his composure, expressed clear disappointment after his recent boxing match against Oleksandr Usyk.
Verhoeven, the reigning kickboxing champion, challenged Usyk for the WBC heavyweight title in a unique event held near the Pyramids of Giza. Entering the bout as a significant underdog in only his second professional boxing fight, Verhoeven defied expectations from the outset. He effectively utilized his size, pressure, and body work to disrupt the undefeated champion’s rhythm, holding his own in close exchanges and maintaining a consistent pace. By the eighth round, the open scoring indicated a level fight at 76-76 on all three judges’ scorecards.
The pivotal moment occurred late in the eleventh round when Usyk landed an uppercut, dropping Verhoeven. Although Verhoeven beat the count and regained his footing, attempting to continue, referee Mark Lyson stepped in and stopped the contest with just one second remaining in the round, declaring Usyk the winner by TKO at 2:59. This premature stoppage sparked considerable controversy, with Verhoeven, his team, and many in the combat sports community feeling he was not given a fair opportunity to fight until the bell or defend himself adequately.
In his post-fight interview, a clearly disappointed but composed Rico Verhoeven stated that he believed the stoppage was too early. He expressed a desire to either see out the round or be allowed to “go out on his shield,” emphasizing that the decision was ultimately not his to make.
The GLORY Kickboxing legend also conveyed pride in his performance, believing it would make a significant impression on the boxing world. He reiterated that the fight was very close and competitive, and he felt he was performing on equal footing with Usyk. Verhoeven expressed hope that his performance would lead to broader recognition as a boxer.
Rico Verhoeven Reacts To Controversial Stoppage Loss Against Oleksandr Usyk
Following the contentious defeat to Oleksandr Usyk, Rico Verhoeven addressed the outcome in his post-fight interview. Despite his disappointment, the “King of Kickboxing” maintained a composed demeanor, asserting that the stoppage occurred too soon and that he wished he had been given the chance to finish the fight or go out fighting.
“Yeah, of course I thought it was an early stoppage, but in the end, it’s not up to me,” Rico Verhoeven said. “Still, I found it a little bit early. I believe that the referee knows that we’re almost at the end of the round. Let me go out on my shield or let the bell go. That’s what I thought, but like I said, it’s not up to me.”
The GLORY Kickboxing legend added that he took pride in his performance and felt it would capture the attention of the boxing world.
“It was so close. Let me go out on my shield or go into the 12th. I was close. We were pretty equal on the score cards, or at least that’s what I felt like. But I’m very proud, very thankful. … I’m super proud with my performance. The boxing world will hopefully now embrace me as a boxer, as well.”
Rico Verhoeven was denied the chance to “go out on his shield” in controversial stoppage loss to Oleksandr Usyk
Rico Verhoeven expressed his disappointment following his TKO loss to Oleksandr Usyk, stating that the referee’s decision to stop the fight was premature. Verhoeven felt he was denied the opportunity to finish the contest on his own terms, either by seeing out the round or by being allowed to continue fighting until the end.
In his post-fight interview, Verhoeven acknowledged the stoppage was not his decision but voiced his belief that it came too early. He suggested the referee should have allowed him to either “go out on his shield” or wait for the round’s conclusion. Despite the controversial ending, the kickboxing star took pride in his performance against the undefeated champion, believing he held his own and demonstrated his capabilities as a boxer.
Rico Verhoeven disappointed with early stoppage against Oleksandr Usyk
Following his TKO defeat to Oleksandr Usyk, Rico Verhoeven shared his disappointment, believing the fight was stopped too early. Verhoeven expressed that he would have preferred to have the opportunity to fight until the end of the round or to “go out on his shield,” rather than have the contest halted prematurely. He felt his performance demonstrated his ability to compete at a high level in boxing and hoped to gain wider recognition for his skills.
Rico Verhoeven speaks out on controversial stoppage against Oleksandr Usyk
Rico Verhoeven has spoken about the controversial stoppage that led to his loss against Oleksandr Usyk. The kickboxing champion expressed his feeling that the referee’s intervention was too soon, suggesting he should have been allowed to continue or “go out on his shield.” Despite the disappointing outcome, Verhoeven conveyed pride in his performance and his hope that the boxing world would now recognize him as a capable boxer.
Rico Verhoeven wanted to fight on after Usyk knockdown
Rico Verhoeven revealed his desire to continue fighting after being knocked down by Oleksandr Usyk, expressing disappointment that the referee stopped the bout before the end of the round. Verhoeven felt the stoppage was premature and that he was denied a chance to “go out on his shield.” He took pride in his performance, believing it showed his potential as a boxer.
