Usyk credits right uppercut for stopping Verhoeven

Oleksandr Usyk says a single punch sealed his stoppage win over Rico Verhoeven. The former undisputed heavyweight champion pointed to his right uppercut as the defining blow in the 11th-round finish.

“The fight was hard. But I just boxed. It was my right uppercut. Bam!”

— Oleksandr Usyk, via ESPN

What Oleksandr Usyk said

Usyk returned to the ring against Verhoeven after losing his unified titles to Tyson Fury in December. The bout marked a step outside his usual run of championship fights. Verhoeven, better known in kickboxing circles, took the Ukrainian the distance before the late stoppage. Usyk had not been tested past the middle rounds in his previous outings.

What it moves

Usyk's win sets up a likely return to the heavyweight title picture, though no opponent has been named. Verhoeven pushed him into the championship rounds, a rarity for Usyk in recent years. The Ukrainian will now wait for sanctioning bodies to clarify their mandatory positions before committing to a next step.

Source: espn.com. Full Oleksandr Usyk fight history and recent news at boxingnews.com.