Oleksandr Usyk was involved in one of the most debate boxing moments of 2026 so far far as he drew a stoppage from referee Mark Lyson against Rico Verhoeven.
Ahead of their fight, fans had dismissed Verhoeven’s chances in a showdown against the standout heavyweight of this generation and understandably so, given the Dutchman’s professional boxing record of just 1-0.
Yet, Verhoeven provided Usyk with perhaps the ‘toughest fight of his career’, with many viewers believing that the underdog had done enough to be in front on the scorecards ahead of round 11 before he was dropped and eventually stopped whilst under pressure in the corner.
Many believe that, since the Dutchman was on his feet and had just seconds left in the round, Lyson acted too early. Others say that it is not the referee’s job to watch the clock, but to call a halt to fights before they become unnecessarily dangerous.
In an interview with Betpack, Usyk’s team director Sergey Lapin defended Lyson’s decision, believing that fighter safety has to be prioritised and that a more devastating ending was looming for Verhoeven if permitted to continue into the final round.
“The referee did his job and protected Rico’s health. It was the right and professional moment to stop the fight. People need to understand one thing: at this level, one extra punch can affect a fighter’s entire future and health.
“The fight was already moving toward a very difficult ending for Rico. If the referee had allowed it to continue, the ending could have been much more brutal and dangerous.”
