Ukraine was under fire, and Usyk snatched victory in the ring

Although the king of kickboxing wanted an upset, Oleksandr reminded everyone who the real champion is

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24 May 2026

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Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk on the night of 24 May 2026 defeated Dutchman Rico Verhoeven in a fight for the world heavyweight title under the WBC. The bout took place near the pyramids in Giza, Egypt, and ended with a technical knockout in the 11th round.

Oleksandr Usyk is one of the main symbols of Ukrainian sport in wartime: an Olympic champion, an undefeated professional and a boxer who has repeatedly used his victories to remind the world about the war of Russia against Ukraine. Rico Verhoeven is a Dutch kickboxing star, a multiple champion and a fighter who for this match switched to the boxing format to face one of the world’s strongest heavyweights.

The fight turned out to be much tougher for the Ukrainian than many expected. Verhoeven worked actively in the ring, had the advantage in the number of punches thrown and for a long time forced Usyk to look for a turning point. According to Reuters, before the 11th round the judges’ scorecards showed either an even fight or a minimal advantage for the Dutchman.

The decisive moment came at the end of the 11th round. Usyk landed a right uppercut between Verhoeven‘s hands, after which the Dutchman went down to the canvas. He rose before the count finished, but the Ukrainian immediately continued the attack, and the referee stopped the fight, recording a victory by technical knockout.

For Usyk this was his 25th victory in his professional career. The Ukrainian remains undefeated in the professional ring.

After the fight Oleksandr Usyk did not limit himself in the ring to talking only about the sporting result. Answering a question about the importance of the victory, he reminded viewers that at the same time Ukraine is under a massive Russian attack, and his compatriots are forced to hide in shelters.

“This is very important to me, but right now my people in Ukraine are in bomb shelters, under attack. My daughter wrote to me: “Dad, you will win”. Rico, you are extraordinary. My team, I love you, you are the best. Kateryna, you are my life and my heart”, – said Usyk.

Usyk’s victory in Egypt was not just another title defense. It once again highlighted the contrast in which Ukrainian sport lives: while athletes raise the Ukrainian flag on the international stage, their families, cities and the whole country remain under threat from Russian missiles and drones.

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