Usyk stops Verhoeven!published at 00:08 BST 24 MayBreaking
Usyk v Verhoeven
Verhoeven beats the count but Usyk flies in and UNLEASHES in the corner and in comes the referee.
Usyk pulls it out of the bag at the end of the 11th round!
Summary
Oleksandr Usyk stops Rico Verhoeven to retain heavyweight world titles
Verhoeven brilliant over 11 rounds before Usyk rescues result
Usyk hurts Verhoeven in round four after strong start for challenger
Verhoeven neck-and-neck with Usyk on scorecards in final rounds
RESULTS: Hamzah Sheeraz stops Alem Begic to win WBO super-middleweight title & Jack Catterall outpoints Shakhram Giyasov
Send us your boxing views
Usyk stops Verhoeven!published at 00:08 BST 24 May
Round 11published at 00:07 BST 24 May
Usyk v Verhoeven
Usyk drops Verhoeven with a STUNNING right uppercut!
Postpublished at 00:05 BST 24 May
Usyk v Verhoeven
Richie Woodhall
Former boxing world champion on BBC Radio 5 LiveI have never seen Usyk on the ropes so much in my life.
Postpublished at 00:05 BST 24 May
Usyk v Verhoeven
Steve Bunce
Boxing expert on BBC Radio 5 LiveUsyk is close to desperate; he knows he has to finish Verhoeven in the last six minutes here.
He is in trouble!
Round 11published at 00:04 BST 24 May
Usyk v Verhoeven
Image source, Getty ImagesTwo rounds left. This is close, very close.
Round 10published at 00:03 BST 24 May
Usyk v Verhoeven
Verhoeven is roughing Usyk up. He leans on him at every opportunity and that must take so much out of Usyk.
Usyk's speed of foot isn't the same as we've seen from him in the past; he's not creating the angles for the shots.
With 30 seconds of the round left, Usyk opens up and lands but Verhoeven comes back!
Image source, Getty Imagesget involved Get Involvedpublished at 00:02 BST 24 May
Click 'Get involved' to have your say
Get the feeling history is going to be made?
Michael
Rico is going to get robbed on the scorecards you can see it happening....he's stuck to his plan and Usyk just doesn't seem at it.
Graham
Postpublished at 00:01 BST 24 May
Usyk v Verhoeven
Steve Bunce
Boxing expert on BBC Radio 5 LiveRico is pushing around one of the best heavyweights we've seen, but he is slowing down.
These rounds are Usyk's territory.
Round ninepublished at 00:00 BST 24 May
Usyk v Verhoeven
Verhoeven has Usyk up against the ropes and throws in a stinging body shot.
This is not the Usyk we saw destroy Daniel Dubois in July 2025.
Very, very interesting to see how the judges are scoring this.
Postpublished at 23:59 BST 23 May
Usyk v Verhoeven
Richie Woodhall
Former boxing world champion on BBC Radio 5 LiveGood work downstairs from Verhoeven and Usyk is back up on the ropes again. He is struggling.
It looks like Verhoeven is the fitter of two and Usyk looks like he is feeling the pace here.
Postpublished at 23:57 BST 23 May
Usyk v Verhoeven
More advice from Peter Fury for Verhoeven: "You need to throw more shots."
Postpublished at 23:56 BST 23 May
Usyk v Verhoeven
Just to be clear, if Verhoeven pulls off what we thought was the impossible here then it would probably be the biggest upset in boxing history.
Round eightpublished at 23:55 BST 23 May
Usyk v Verhoeven
Usyk is rocked back again by a right hand from Verhoeven and he comes again!
Usyk looks lethargic but he steps on late in the round and lands a whipping left. Verhoeven is able to smother him, though.
Postpublished at 23:54 BST 23 May
Usyk v Verhoeven
Richie Woodhall
Former boxing world champion on BBC Radio 5 LiveA couple of good right hands from Verhoeven. It's very rare you see Usyk back up on the ropes but he certainly was there.
What are we witnessing here? This is incredible!
Postpublished at 23:52 BST 23 May
Usyk v Verhoeven
Steve Bunce
Boxing expert on BBC Radio 5 LiveI've got Usyk up five-two, but maybe I'm being harsh on Verhoeven.
Image source, MatchroomPostpublished at 23:52 BST 23 May
Usyk v Verhoeven
Richie Woodhall
Former boxing world champion on BBC Radio 5 LiveI've got Usyk up by one at the moment.
Round sevenpublished at 23:51 BST 23 May
Usyk v Verhoeven
Verhoeven lands another right hand and Usyk switches to southpaw. He's struggling to figure the challenger out here.
Verhoeven steps in again and lands the straight right on the button.
That's another round for Verhoeven.
Postpublished at 23:50 BST 23 May
Usyk v Verhoeven
Richie Woodhall
Former boxing world champion on BBC Radio 5 LiveVerhoeven is starting to move forward, but his feet are getting slower and that is going to suit Oleksandr Usyk.
Round sevenpublished at 23:49 BST 23 May
Usyk v Verhoeven
After six rounds, I don't think anyone would've had Verhoeven in front but I think he is. Only just, though.
Image source, MatchroomRound sixpublished at 23:47 BST 23 May
Usyk v Verhoeven
Verhoeven continues to march forward and apply pressure to Usyk - who doesn't look himself tonight. Verhoeven hits hard with the right but they're on the gloves of Usyk. Still, they knock him back.