Usyk started cautiously as Verhoeven tried to use his size and physical pressure to keep the fight competitive during the early rounds. Verhoeven had moments with his right hand and tried to force clinches along the ropes, but Usyk gradually settled into the fight behind his movement, jab and cleaner combinations.
By the middle rounds, Usyk’s timing and accuracy began to separate the two fighters. Verhoeven continued to press forward but struggled to land consistently as the Ukrainian champion controlled the pace and distance.
In the 11th round, Usyk finally broke through with a sustained attack that badly injured Verhoeven along the ropes. The referee stepped in to stop the fight with Verhoeven exhausted and absorbing unanswered blows.
The win kept Usyk undefeated and added another successful defense to his heavyweight run.
Earlier on the card, Hamzah Sheeraz captured the vacant WBO super middleweight title with a second round knockout of Alem Begic. Sheeraz controlled the fight early before ending things with a crushing body shot that Begic couldn’t follow up on.
Frank Sanchez also picked up one of the biggest wins of the night, defeating previously undefeated Richard Torrez Jr. knocked out in the second round of their IBF heavyweight eliminator. Sanchez landed a perfectly timed right hand that dropped Torrez heavily and handed the American prospect his first professional loss.
Jack Catterall defeated Shakhram Giyasov by unanimous decision to win the vacant WBA welterweight title. Catterall controlled much of the fight with his jab, counter punch and movement after scoring an early takedown.
Mizuki Hiruta retained her WBO women’s super flyweight title with a unanimous decision victory over Mai Soliman after 10 rounds.
Benjamin Mendes Tani upset Daniel Lapin with a fourth-round stoppage in a light heavyweight bout after repeatedly hurting him with body shots and scoring several takedowns.
The undercard also featured victories for Sultan Almohammed, Jamar Talley, Mohammed Mabrouk and Omar Hikal in shorter bouts earlier in the evening.
