Oleksandr Usyk retained his WBC heavyweight title but only after surviving an almighty scare against Rico Verhoeven in Giza. The Ukrainian champion faced a potential upset as Verhoeven, a kickboxer making his second professional boxing appearance, dominated and overpowered an off-color Usyk for most of the contest.

Trailing on scorecards heading into the penultimate round, Usyk landed a crisp right uppercut that transformed the fight's complexion. The punch sent the towering Verhoeven to the canvas for the first time in his career before a relentless follow-up barrage from Usyk forced the referee's controversial stoppage at 2:59 of round 11.

The victory preserved Usyk's unbeaten record but raised questions about his readiness against elite heavyweight competition. Verhoeven came within touching distance of what would have been one of boxing's greatest upsets, demonstrating that even champions can have vulnerabilities against unconventional opponents with size and power.