Rico Verhoeven Calls Out ‘Fishy’ Experience During the Oleksandr Usyk Fight

Rico Verhoeven (1-1, 1 KOs) showcased a surprisingly impressive performance against Oleksandr Usyk (25-0, 16 KOs) on Saturday. But the fight has left Verhoeven thinking that he might just have been robbed of a victory.

In conversation with Ariel Helwani, Verhoeven revealed how he was left dumbstruck after seeing the scorecards arrive evenly marked despite him “winning” rounds.

“There were open scorecards, and after four rounds, we got the scorecards, and we were like, ‘Hey, we’re even. Hmm, OK.’ I felt like I was at least three to one, but OK, we’re even, that’s fine. Then we get the scorecards again after another four rounds,” he said. “After Round 8, and still we were even. You’re like, ‘Hmm, this I don’t know. It starts to feel fishy because I feel like I’m winning these rounds. I’m working more. I’m getting hit less.”

Verhoeven also felt that, as a kickboxer crossing into elite boxing, he was not being given the same credit as an established boxing star like Usyk. In fact, he hinted at a deeper frustration common among crossover fighters, the feeling that an outsider has to “do more” to earn rounds against an established boxing champion, especially someone with Usyk’s reputation and résumé. The controversy grew after the late referee stoppage, which came just before the end of round 11, making many fans revisit the scorecards and debate whether Verhoeven had been undervalued throughout the fight.

Verhoeven, however, remains firm that he should have been allowed to fight in the 12^th round.

“To be honest, I deserved and the fans deserved to see that 12th round. Whatever the outcome would be,” he said. “Yeah, but then all the opinions come again: ‘Yeah, but you would have never survived that.’ There is no what-if, you know?” he said. “There is no what if. So, stop the what ifs. Let’s just focus on the things that happened and how we judge that and how we talk about it, and let’s continue from that.”

“Rico Was In Usyk’s A*s”

Tim Bradley, on the other hand, did not mince words while talking about the fight. In fact, he felt that Usyk did not even bother to train properly for the fight.

“I think he half-ass trained. I don’t think that he fully trained. I thought that he was just going to walk through this guy, and this guy had his own freaking agenda. That’s what it is,” he said. “He gets in the ring in the first round. I’m like, ‘Who the hell is this?’ This ain’t the same Usyk I know that got energy and bouncing on his toes. Rico was in Usyk’s a%s, period. He was in the fight, and he had a hell of a game plan.”

Joshua Ben Joseph

Joshua Ben Joseph is a Boxing writer renowned for his unparalleled coverage of live events and insightful interviews with prominent athletes in the world of combat sports. With a career spanning over several years, he has authored more than 800 articles. As an experienced editorial cartoonist and investigative journalist, Joshua has a keen eye for detail and a passion for delivering quality content. Aside from his writing, Joshua is an avid powerlifter and solo traveler, embodying the same spirit of determination and exploration that he brings to his work. With a deep love for the sport of boxing that dates back to childhood, he is committed to delivering the highest quality content and helping to build a more transparent and credible industry.

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