The reaction came quickly after Oleksandr Usyk’s 11th-round stoppage of Rico Verhoeven at the Pyramids of Giza on Saturday, with the winner, the loser and the architects of the heavyweight division all weighing in on the result and what follows.
Usyk Dedicates the Win to Ukraine
Usyk kept his immediate assessment brief. “I win, it’s good,” he said. He then turned to his opponent. “Rico is an amazing fighter. He prepared very well. This was a tough fight. He’s a dangerous guy. Big, strong, full of heart. Respect to him.”
The Ukrainian, whose family remains affected by the war at home, said his daughter had reached out before the result was official. “My people are under bombs right now. My daughter is in a bomb shelter and she texted me: ‘Papa, I love you. You win.’ She was scared but happy. This win is for all Ukrainian people.” He added, “Thank you, my Lord Jesus Christ.”
Asked about his future, Usyk again raised the prospect of a bout with Tyson Fury, retired since early 2025. “I’m sure Tyson Fury is not retired. He wants the fight, I want the fight. We’ll see,” Usyk said. “I have two, maybe three fights left.”
Verhoeven: ‘I Showed I Belong’
Verhoeven, in only his second professional boxing bout, felt the contest had been tighter than the finish suggested. “I thought the fight was close, maybe even level going into the later rounds,” he said. He accepted referee Mark Lyson’s decision while noting he was still on his feet with the bell seconds away, and called the night a learning experience.
“I came here to shock the world and I showed I belong. Usyk is the best for a reason. Huge respect,” Verhoeven said. He made clear he intends to stay in the sport. “I’m here to stay as a boxer. I’m not here to take part, I’m here to take over.”
Verhoeven’s coach, Peter Fury, said the stoppage was correct, adding that his fighter was exhausted and would likely have been stopped in the 12th round regardless.
Alalshikh Looks to Germany and Istanbul
Turki Alalshikh moved immediately to Usyk’s next steps, confirming he will sit down with the champion to discuss a potential bout against Agit Kabayel in Germany later in 2026. He also teased a larger event for Usyk in Istanbul, near the Hagia Sophia, in 2027.
Kabayel, the WBC interim heavyweight champion, has long pushed for the fight. “Usyk must fight me next,” he said. “Normally, he must fight with me, Usyk. I hope I’m the next in the line.” Kabayel dismissed Saturday’s contest as a spectacle rather than a genuine sporting test, calling it “a show fight.”
