Oleksandr Usyk Stops Rico Verhoeven in Round 11 After Tough Early Fight

Verhoeven came out pressed from the opening bell and immediately tried to make his physical strength part of the battle. The kickboxing star pushed forward, leaning in close to Usyk and landing heavy right hands as he tried to drag the champion into rough exchanges.

Usyk had early success with the jab and movement, but Verhoeven made him work. He stayed in front of Usyk, continued to step forward and force exchanges that prevented the Ukrainian from settling into his usual rhythm.

Through the middle rounds, Verhoeven continued to bring pressure and had moments with right hands and physical work inside. Usyk kept making small adjustments using his feet, changing angles and landing straight left hands when openings appeared.

Usyk began to take wider control of the rounds in the championship rounds.

Usyk began to determine Verhoeven more consistently and his combinations began to land with greater precision. The jab found the target more often, and Verhoeven’s pressure began to lose steam as the rounds moved deeper.

The finish came in eleventh place.

Usyk hurt Verhoeven with a series of combinations and quickly stepped on the attack. He trapped himself along the ropes and unloaded with hooks, straight left hands and uppercuts while Verhoeven absorbed clean shots without offering enough in return.

The referee stepped in and stopped the fight with Verhoeven still standing but receiving repeated unanswered punches.

The win gives Usyk another successful heavyweight title defense and keeps his undefeated record intact. Verhoeven had early success, forcing the champion into tough rounds, but Usyk’s ring IQ, punch selection and late-round adjustments separated the two men once the fight moved into the closing stages.