Ngannou claims Verhoeven was robbed against Usyk

Francis Ngannou says Rico Verhoeven should have beaten Oleksandr Usyk after the referee stopped their bout. The heavyweight believes the stoppage denied Verhoeven a deserved victory.

“Outsiders will never win, trust me I know, but Rico was the winner tonight. Period.”

— Francis Ngannou, via BBC Sport

What Francis Ngannou said

Ngannou posted his view on the referee's decision in the Usyk-Verhoeven contest, speaking to BBC Sport. The former UFC heavyweight champion has crossed over into boxing himself and drew on his own experience as an outsider in the sport when assessing the outcome.

What it moves

Ngannou's comments put renewed focus on the officiating in heavyweight crossover bouts. His assertion that the stoppage changed the result will likely spark debate over whether the referee acted correctly and how fighters from other combat sports are treated in boxing.

Source: bbc.com. Full Francis Ngannou fight history and recent news at boxingnews.com.