Turki Alalshikh has now publicly sided with the growing backlash over Oleksandr Usyk’s controversial stoppage win over Rico Verhoeven, saying the referee should have allowed the fight to continue and revealing that Agit Kabayel is expected to be next for Usyk ahead of a Rico rematch.
Mike Coppinger posted Alalshikh’s comments on X following the uproar surrounding the 11th round stoppage at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt on Saturday night. Many fans felt Verhoeven was denied the chance to make it to the final bell after referee Mark Lyson stepped in moments after Usyk dropped him late in the round.
.@Turki_alalshikh tells me: “It was a bad stoppage, Rico deserved to keep fighting. It’s clear that Usyk was in control in the end, but the referee should have allowed the fight to reach a clear result. It’s Usyk’s call what he does next. Kabayel waited a long time… pic.twitter.com/XD2c78d4Xv
— Mike Coppinger (@MikeCoppinger) May 24, 2026
The comments are significant because they outline the likely direction for Usyk’s next two fights while also confirming that Alalshikh himself was unhappy with the ending. Agit Kabayel has been waiting for his title shot after becoming the WBC interim heavyweight champion, and Turki’s statement suggests that plans are already moving towards a stadium fight in Germany.
Despite the loss, Rico’s stock also seems to have exploded. Turki openly saying he wants “two more fights” with Verhoeven shows how much interest the show has generated. Going into Saturday’s fight, many fans saw the kickboxing star as a rookie challenger with little chance against Usyk. That changed once the fight started.
Verhoeven’s size, movement, pressure and willingness to switch gave Usyk far more problems than many expected. According to some scorecards, Rico stepped in before the 11th round in front of the late takedown and strike streak.
The controversy may now follow Usyk into whatever comes next. If Kabayel gets the next fight as expected, there will still be pressure for Usyk to revisit the Verhoeven fight afterwards as many fans believe the ending left unfinished business.
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Last updated on 2026/05/24 at 10:40
