Boxing May 26, 2026

Oleksandr Usyk's options assessed after dramatic 11th-round Rico Verhoeven victory in Giza

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By Admin
Sports Journalist
Oleksandr Usyk's options assessed after dramatic 11th-round Rico Verhoeven victory in Giza

A mandatory against Agit Kabayel? A rematch with Rico Verhoeven? What next for Oleksandr Usyk after his dramatic victory in front of the pyramids.

Usyk survived an almighty scare, stopping Verhoeven in the final second of round 11 just as the Dutch kickboxer threatened to pull off one of boxing's greatest upsets.

On a night when the champion looked uncharacteristically vulnerable, the shockwaves of his performance have rippled across the division, leaving the heavyweight landscape - and Usyk's options - suddenly wide open.

The WBC mandatory challenger has been waiting patiently for his shot at Usyk and now he is in pole position.

After beating Verhoeven, Usyk must defend his WBC title against Kabayel next or else face being stripped of the belt.

Kabayel was at ringside to witness Usyk's performance and got into the ring to lay down his challenge to Usyk in person.

"First of all, congratulations Oleksandr," he said. "I've waited for this situation for so long, I am ready.

"Germany is waiting for the fight. I know many Ukrainian people live in Germany. Let's do the fight in Germany in a stadium. Boxing fans want this fight, let's do it.

Usyk replied: "OK, no problem. Brother. I am ready."

The prospect of an immediate rematch gained momentum almost as soon as the final bell sounded.

Ring Magazine CEO Rick Reeno joined Kabayel in the ring, as did Turki Alalshikh, who made it clear that Verhoeven's performance had shifted the conversation.

The Dutchman may have fallen short, but he pushed Usyk to the brink in a way few expected - and that alone has strengthened calls for a second meeting.

Alalshikh outlined his vision for how the next chapter should unfold, balancing mandatory obligations with the appetite for a blockbuster return bout.

"This is the choice of Usyk. This is not the right time," he said. "He [Kabayel] is in line, but Rico deserves a rematch after Kabayel. We want to see Kabayel, and then the rematch with Rico in Holland."

A rematch in the Netherlands - Verhoeven's home turf - would be a huge commercial event, and given how close he came to producing a seismic upset, there is appetite to see it again.

Frank Warren has warned Oleksandr Usyk he "would not stand" for the Ukrainian entertaining the prospect of a rematch with Rico Verhoeven instead of fighting Agit Kabayel.

"[Kabayel] has beaten everybody he's had put in front of him, and he's a real, real class act, a lovely guy, and he can fight," Warren told Your Site. "He deserves to be in, in the number one spot, and he's been there for a while.

"They're talking about maybe doing a rematch with Usyk and Rico [Verhoeven], we're not going to stand for that.

"Usyk's been there long enough, and he wants his moment, and that's what we'll be pushing for with WBC, and hopefully get it over the line and do that some time in the autumn.

"If he doesn't take it, he'll have to vacate it, or be stripped, it's as simple as that.

"You're a champion, you defend the belts, that's what you're there for, if you don't defend them, then you've got to give them up and let other people have an opportunity to build their name.

Fresh off his devastating second‑round knockout of Richard Torrez Jr in an IBF final eliminator, Frank Sanchez wasted no time throwing his name into the mix.

The Cuban has long been touted as one of the most avoided fighters in the division, and with momentum behind him, he made it clear he wants his shot at the very top.

"I've been working the whole time in the gym with my team, kept myself right waiting for this opportunity," he said.

"It came, I took it, and now I'm ready for whoever is next. Usyk, we're ready for you whenever you want."

Was this performance the first indication that time may be creeping up on Usyk?

The 39‑year‑old, who weighed in at a career‑heaviest 16st 9lb, looked unusually flat during the middle rounds - the very phase of a fight where he typically takes control.

His reactions were slower, his feet a touch heavier, and for long stretches he was being pushed back by a man with only one professional boxing bout to his name.

Former cruiserweight world champion Tony Bellew, who lost a title fight to Usyk in 2018, believes Verhoeven exposed vulnerabilities in the Ukrainian that have never surfaced before.

"It's the only time in his whole career I've seen Usyk outworked on a consistent basis. At the back end of each round, he was losing and getting out‑landed.

"Rico Verhoeven has come out of this a winner. His hand might not have been raised, but given what we expected, he nearly sprung the biggest surprise boxing has ever seen.

"We'll never know whether Verhoeven would have made it out for round 12, so we should probably do it again. It's the least that boy deserves after the performance he's just put in."

Watch Chris Billam-Smith vs Ryan Rozicki on Zuffa Boxing show in Bournemouth in June 6, live on Your Site.

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