Turki Alalshikh calls Usyk-Verhoeven stoppage bad, wants Kabayel next

Saudi boxing powerbroker Turki Alalshikh has called the 11th-round stoppage of Oleksandr Usyk's win over Rico Verhoeven a poor decision and wants to book the unified heavyweight champion against Agit Kabayel next in Germany.

Alalshikh told The Ring's Mike Coppinger that referee Mark Lyson intervened too soon Saturday night at Glory in Giza after Usyk dropped Verhoeven late in the 11th. "It was a bad stoppage," Alalshikh said, per The Ring. "Rico deserved to continue to fight. It's clear that Usyk was controlling in the end, but the referee should have allowed the fight to reach a clear result."

Kabayel waiting, Germany stadium targeted for Usyk bout

The Saudi advisor said Kabayel, the unbeaten German contender ranked No. 2 by The Ring and mandatory for Usyk's WBC strap, has waited long enough. "We want to do the fight in a stadium in Germany," Alalshikh reportedly said. After that clash, he wants Usyk to run back the Verhoeven fight and potentially give the kickboxing legend two additional bouts.

Alalshikh had Verhoeven up three rounds entering the 11th, though two official scorecards read 95-95 and a third favored Verhoeven 96-94. Usyk landed a right uppercut with roughly 20 seconds left in the round that sent Verhoeven wobbling to his corner for his mouthpiece, then swarmed him along the ropes as the bell began to sound. Lyson waved it off before the 12th could start.

Kabayel holds a 27-0 record with 19 knockouts and has been waiting for his WBC title shot. Usyk, now 25-0 in boxing, remains The Ring's No. 2 pound-for-pound fighter and unified heavyweight champion across three sanctioning bodies.

Source: ringmagazine.com