Chisora Claims Oleksandr Usyk Didn’t Respect Rico Verhoeven Until Round 11

1 week ago 26

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Oleksandr Usyk may have underestimated Rico Verhoeven until it was almost too late, at least in the eyes of Derek Chisora.

The former heavyweight challenger believes Usyk only realized he was in serious trouble during the late rounds of Saturday’s controversial fight in Egypt, where the Ukrainian retained his titles after a disputed 11th-round stoppage against Verhoeven.

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Chisora said Rico gave Usyk far more problems than expected and believes the unified champion eventually understood he was behind in the fight.

“I think he didn’t respect him until he realized he was in round 11.

“And he was losing.”

Chisora also questioned the referee’s decision to stop the contest after Verhoeven got back to his feet following a knockdown late in the 11th round.

“That was an early stoppage. They robbed that [ __ ] guy.

“That stoppage was wrong,” Chisora told ProBoxingFans.

Despite criticizing the stoppage, Chisora said he doesn’t believe Usyk has declined physically and suggested the inactivity played a role in his performance.

“Usyk didn’t lose a step, fellas. What you have to understand, Usyk hasn’t been in the ring for a while, so he didn’t lose a step,” said Derek.

“What happened there was he was taking his time. If he fights this guy again next time, he knocked him out.”

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Michael Collins is a senior writer at Boxing247.com (East Side Boxing) and has covered world championship boxing since 2012. Respected for his measured reporting and technical insight, he delivers expert analysis on elite fighters, contenders, and the evolving global fight landscape.

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