Tony Bellew has given his take on the controversial ending to the battle between Oleksandr Usyk and Rico Verhoeven.
Usyk was defending his heavyweight crown against Verhoeven at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, in a bout that had drawn criticism beforehand due to the perceived mismatch that many fans were expecting.
The criticism remained at the conclusion of the fight, but now for another reason, with lots of viewers furious over the nature of the stoppage.
Verhoeven had put in a shock performance against the Ukrainian and looked like he could have been on his way to a major upset, but Usyk was able to find the big shot he likely needed and dropped the kickboxing star towards the end of round 11.
Verhoeven managed to get back to his feet, but a flurry of shots in the corner led referee Mark Lyson to jump in and stop the contest, though many people think it was done so prematurely.
Bellew is one who thinks that way, revealing on the DAZN broadcast that he thinks Verhoeven should have been given the chance to continue.
“It’s the only time in his whole career I’ve seen Usyk outworked. He started some of the rounds quite well but when it came to the last 30 seconds he was losing them, he was getting out landed if I’m being totally honest.
“I think Peter Fury [Verhoeven’s trainer] is spot on, I don’t think he would have been ready to carry on in the 12th. He was done, he was spent, but a massive part of that is down to experience. If I’m being totally honest a rematch is the least that boy deserves.
“He’s a top referee, he’s human. I feel for everyone. I do want to see him come out for that 12th round without a shadow or a doubt and he should have been allowed that.
“I wasn’t writing the scores down at the end of each round but I’m not going to lie, he’s possibly ahead going into the 11th round.
“In no way shape or form should that have been stopped and we’re never going to know now so you know what the best thing to do is? Just run it back.”
While Bellew feels Verhoeven could have been ahead going into the 11th round, two of the official scorecards didn’t have it that way.
