Rico Verhoeven deserves Usyk rematch after controversial stoppage

Rico Verhoeven's controversial loss to Oleksandr Usyk should earn him an immediate rematch, not a spot in the queue behind WBC interim champion Agit Kabayel.

The Dutch kickboxer filed an appeal after referee Mark Lyson stopped the Pyramids of Giza bout following the 11th-round bell, per BoxingScene. Usyk holds WBC orders to face Kabayel next, but the outcry over the finish and Verhoeven's competitive showing have the sport asking whether boxing can afford to let this one go cold.

Verhoeven pushed Usyk harder than recent title challengers

Usyk, 39, looked vulnerable for stretches against a fighter making just his second pro boxing appearance. Trainer Peter Fury told BoxingScene that Verhoeven "did absolutely marvelous" and praised both men for a "brilliant boxing display." Fury had warned his fighter before the bout, "You're not gonna get any favors here," words that carried over to the stoppage itself.

The Ukrainian cited family concerns back home as a distraction and appeared to underestimate the kickboxer, who was nominated for the bout by actor Jason Statham. Verhoeven brought pressure and creativity that kept him competitive on the scorecards through 11 rounds, making the after-bell stoppage all the more jarring to broadcast viewers and fans.

Verhoeven posted on Instagram afterward that "history was made," alongside a photo of himself eating pizza. Whether boxing capitalizes on the momentum or forces him to wait while Usyk fulfills the Kabayel mandate will test how much the sport values public perception over alphabetical order. The WBC has yet to rule on the appeal, and Saudi financier Turki Alalshikh reportedly wants Kabayel first, then a potential Verhoeven return later in the year.

Source: boxingscene.com