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Heavyweight champ avoids shock upset with controversial stoppage

ABC Australia · May 24, 2026, 12:33 AM · Also reported by 4 other sources

Key takeaways

Oleksandr Usyk (left) has retained the WBC World Heavyweight Championship.
Oleksandr Usyk has retained his WBC heavyweight championship with a round 11 stoppage of Rico Verhoeven.
Verhoeven was a big underdog but threatened one of the biggest upsets in boxing, however the referee stopped the fight despite the Dutchman's corner believing he had been saved by the bell.

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Oleksandr Usyk (left) has retained the WBC World Heavyweight Championship. (Getty Images: Mohamed Hossam)

Oleksandr Usyk has retained his WBC heavyweight championship with a round 11 stoppage of Rico Verhoeven.

Verhoeven was a big underdog but threatened one of the biggest upsets in boxing, however the referee stopped the fight despite the Dutchman's corner believing he had been saved by the bell.

Article preview — originally published by ABC Australia. Full story at the source.

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Heavyweight champ avoids shock upset with controversial stoppage

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