Oleksandr Usyk, Ukraine's unbeaten heavyweight world champion, stopped Dutch former kickboxer Rico Verhoeven with one second remaining in the 11th round on May 23, 2026, to avoid a major upset. The fight, held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, saw Usyk struggle against Verhoeven's size and power before landing a decisive combination.
Verhoeven, making his professional boxing debut, had Usyk in trouble in the early rounds with heavy shots. However, Usyk's superior conditioning and ring IQ allowed him to weather the storm and take control in the later rounds. The stoppage came after a flurry of punches forced the referee to intervene.
Usyk, who holds the WBA, WBO, and IBF heavyweight titles, improved his record to 23-0. Verhoeven, a multiple-time kickboxing champion, fell to 0-1 in boxing but earned respect for his competitive performance. The event was promoted by Matchroom Boxing and streamed on DAZN.
