Usyk defeated Verhoeven: how the fight went
24 May 02:44
Ukrainian heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk faced Dutch kickboxer Rico Verhoeven. The boxing match took place in a special open-air arena near the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt and ended in a victory for Usyk, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
The bout at the foot of the pyramids proved to be one of the toughest of the Ukrainian’s career due to the incredible pressure from his much heavier opponent. It seemed as though Rico might win on points, and Usyk didn’t take the lead until the 11th round. At first, the Ukrainian managed to land a perfect low blow and send Verhoeven to the canvas, and from there, finishing off the kickboxer was a matter of technique.
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At stake in the epic bout on the Giza Plateau were the WBC and The Ring belts, which the Ukrainian spectacularly defended in the ring, simultaneously retaining his WBA and IBF world titles and winning an exclusive WBC belt titled “King of the Nile.”
This triumph marked the 25th anniversary victory in the professional career of the undefeated Oleksandr Usyk and allowed him to successfully defend his championship titles for the sixth consecutive time since moving up to the heavyweight division.
In addition to another success, this fight brought the Ukrainian one of the largest paydays of his career. According to European media reports, Usyk earned approximately $100 million (€86 million).
For his opponent, Rico Verhoeven, the financial terms were also record-breaking. Although the Dutchman’s exact earnings have not been disclosed, the boxer himself admitted on the eve of the fight that this was the largest payday of his life.
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