Rico Verhoeven is refusing to let his controversial defeat to Oleksandr Usyk go quietly.
The kickboxing superstar has officially confirmed that an appeal has already been filed following Saturday night’s hugely debated stoppage loss to the Ukrainian heavyweight champion.
Verhoeven was stopped in the 11th round by referee Mark Lyson after Usyk landed a crushing uppercut that sent the Dutchman to the canvas — but the controversy erupted because the fight appeared to be waved off after the bell had already sounded. The official stoppage time for Round 11 reads as 2:59.
Within hours of the bout ending, Verhoeven shared a photo on social media showing his manager filing official paperwork at the airport.
“Official protest has been filed on our way to the Airport. Rules only matter if they are applied when it matters most.”
The dramatic ending immediately sparked outrage online, with fans and fighters questioning whether the referee should have allowed Verhoeven to continue given the round had effectively ended.
Despite suffering only his second professional boxing defeat — and first since 2014 — Verhoeven pushed Usyk far harder than many expected and looked capable at times of producing one of the biggest crossover upsets in combat sports history.
Heading into the final six minutes, Verhoeven was ahead on one judge’s scorecard, while the other two had the contest scored level.
After the fight, Verhoeven admitted he believed the stoppage came too soon.
“I thought it was an early stoppage. It’s not up to me. I believe the referee knows that we’re almost at the end of the round, or let me go out on my shield or let the bell go…it was close and I thought we were equal on the scorecards.”
Speaking again afterwards, the Dutch heavyweight doubled down on his frustration. “They stopped it after the bell. It makes no sense,” he said.
Usyk ultimately retained his WBC heavyweight title, but the fight itself was far more competitive than many anticipated.
Verhoeven’s unpredictable movement and unorthodox stance appeared to trouble the two-weight undisputed champion from the opening bell.
The 37-year-old landed first in the opening round and repeatedly forced Usyk backwards throughout the contest. Usyk, now 39, looked uncomfortable at stages and was caught clean several times as the pace slowed through the middle rounds.
Verhoeven particularly enjoyed success on the ropes, backing Usyk up in the eighth, ninth, and tenth rounds while threatening a major upset.
But late in the 11th, the Ukrainian finally landed the decisive uppercut that changed the fight.
Even then, debate exploded almost instantly due to the timing of the stoppage.
Video replays circulating online appear to show both the punch and referee intervention happening right as — or potentially after — the bell sounded.
While unified boxing rules technically allow a fight to be stopped after the bell, many fans argued the decision was still highly questionable given how close the contest had been.
Usyk himself acknowledged the difficulty of the fight afterwards. “This fight was hard,” he said. “It was a good fight.” He later joked on Instagram, writing: “They say it was tense watching my fight with Rico. Guys, I just didn’t want you to be bored, come on.”
The Ukrainian also confirmed he would be open to facing Germany’s WBC interim heavyweight champion Agit Kabayel next after Kabayel entered the ring post-fight.
Meanwhile, Verhoeven’s appeal process is expected to involve the governing commission reviewing frame-by-frame footage of the ending before a final decision is made.
Possible outcomes could include the result being changed to a no-contest or the fight going to the judges’ scorecards if officials determine the stoppage was improperly handled.
If the appeal is rejected, attention will immediately turn toward whether the pair run the fight back.
The controversy surrounding the finish has already fuelled massive demand online for a rematch, while speculation continues to grow about Verhoeven’s long-term future in combat sports.
The Dutch star has repeatedly been linked with a potential move into MMA, with fans already discussing possible crossover fights against UFC heavyweights such as Ciryl Gane and Derrick Lewis.
For now though, Verhoeven’s focus appears locked on one thing — overturning a result he clearly believes should never have stood in the first place.
Featured image credit: X/DAZN (screenshots)
