Rico Verhoeven has shared his reaction after the decision of his appeal over his controversial loss to Oleksandr Usyk was revealed.
Kickboxing legend Verhoeven challenged Usyk for his heavyweight crown at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt last month, in a bout that most people expected to be a big mismatch.
It certainly didn’t transpire that way though, as the Dutchman went toe-to-toe with Usyk for 11 rounds, with it appearing the challenger could be on the verge of one of the biggest upsets in boxing history.
During the closing stages of round 11, Usyk finally found a shot that dropped Verhoeven, and while the kickboxing star was able to get back to his feet, a further flurry in the corner led to referee Mark Lyson stopping the contest, many fans believing prematurely.
Further controversy arose when it transpired that the bell to signal the end of the round had already rung before the stoppage took place, leading to Verhoeven filing a formal appeal against the defeat.
The Dutchman has now announced the outcome of the appeal in a statement on social media, revealing that he was unsuccessful with his challenge as the commission found that the factors at play didn’t change the outcome of the contest.
“On 24 May, we filed a formal protest because we genuinely believed there was a serious question around the way the fight was stopped. On 16 June, we received the Commission’s decision.
“The ruling confirmed that the bell ending Round 11 had already sounded before the referee physically waved off the fight. The official timekeeper said exactly that. The ringside doctor also confirmed that I showed no signs of confusion or disorientation after the bout. The Commission’s view was that none of those findings changed the outcome.”
Despite failing with his appeal, Verhoeven once again made it clear that he thinks Usyk should do the right thing and grant a rematch.
“Look, this has never been about taking anything away from Oleksandr. He’s one of the greatest fighters of this generation and I have nothing but respect for what he’s achieved. What stays with me is the feeling that, after eleven unforgettable rounds on one of the biggest and most epic stages in the world, the story simply stopped before it reached its ending.
“I truly believe everyone deserved the chance to see how this fight was meant to end. The fans were denied a 12th round. After everything we’d both put into that fight, they deserved to see how it ended.
“So for me, the conclusion is actually very simple. Let’s finish the story and give the fans that immediate rematch!”
For now it appears that Usyk has one of two options for his next bout, with it either being the rematch with Verhoeven, or a clash against WBC mandatory challenger Agit Kabayel.
