Rico Verhoeven believes he shocked the world before Usyk stoppage

Rico Verhoeven says his performance against Oleksandr Usyk lived up to his own expectations before the fight was stopped. The heavyweight felt he demonstrated his ability on the night despite the result.

“I felt so good, was enjoying myself, definitely showing what I can do... I think we shocked the world like I set out to do, just the unfortunate end was premature”

— Rico Verhoeven, via Ring Magazine

What Rico Verhoeven said

Verhoeven crossed over from kickboxing to face Usyk in a boxing match. The Dutchman competed at 123 kg and entered the ring as an underdog against the former unified heavyweight champion. The bout ended before the final bell.

What it moves

Verhoeven's assessment suggests he remains confident in his boxing ability despite the defeat. The heavyweight indicated the stoppage came sooner than he would have liked. Any future boxing appearances from the kickboxing champion remain unclear.

Source: ringmagazine.com. Full Rico Verhoeven fight history and recent news at boxingnews.com.