The Undefeated Champion's Narrow Escape The pyramids of Giza witnessed something unusual on Saturday: Oleksandr Usyk, widely regarded as one of the best pound for pound boxers in the world, was pushed to his limits by Rico Verhoeven, a kickboxer.
Verhoeven's unorthodox movement and relentless pressure forced Usyk to dig deep and find a way out with a last second stoppage win.
Usyk's performance must be viewed through the lens of his recent decisions outside the ring. After dominating the heavyweight division, he opted to face Verhoeven instead of one of his traditional opponents.