Renowned journalist and insider Ariel Helwani has reacted sharply to the conclusion of the fight between WBC, WBA, and IBF heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk and Dutch kickboxer Rico Verhoeven. In his opinion, the bout was stopped far too early by the referee, a decision bound to spark major controversy.
In yesterday's clash, Oleksandr Usyk defeated Rico Verhoeven via technical knockout in the 11th round. However, Helwani does not consider this stoppage fair. He emphasized that stopping the fight with just one second left in the 11th round was a very harsh and questionable decision for the athlete.
“The fight was stopped with one second left in the 11th round. This is just insanity. The referee made an absolutely disgraceful decision. Rico was literally robbed of a victory,” Helwani wrote on social media.
The journalist believes Verhoeven had a chance to pull off an upset. He pointed out that Verhoeven put up serious resistance against Usyk throughout the fight, kept the intrigue alive until the final rounds, and that the scorecards were still open. For this reason, Helwani argues that the premature stoppage deprived Rico of a massive opportunity.
Ariel Helwani also compared this situation to the discussions surrounding the bout between Francis Ngannou and Tyson Fury. He noted that many did not take Ngannou's chances seriously at the time, but he still believes the Cameroonian athlete won that fight.
“Many fans and journalists were dismissive of the Francis Ngannou vs. Tyson Fury clash. But I still believe the Cameroonian won that one. A similar thing just happened with Rico,” he said.
Helwani believes Rico Verhoeven proved his worth against Usyk and had the potential for an upset. Therefore, he is pushing for a rematch. After such a controversial finish, a second fight could be a logical progression for both the fans and the athletes.
Oleksandr Usyk continued his undefeated run in the professional ring with this victory. However, the controversy surrounding the stoppage may cast a shadow over his win, as in boxing, not only the result but how it is achieved matters greatly.
For Rico Verhoeven, this fight was a tough but important experience. Despite his legendary status in kickboxing, he stepped into the ring against a top-tier boxer like Usyk and proved himself a serious contender. It is natural that fans are now waiting for a potential rematch.
In short, Ariel Helwani harshly criticized the referee's decision in the Usyk vs. Verhoeven fight. He believes the bout should not have been stopped with one second remaining in the 11th round and that Rico was denied a chance at an upset. Now the main question remains: will the organizers pave the way for a rematch, or will the controversy surrounding this fight simply fade away?
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