Oleksandr Usyk Survives Rico Verhoeven Scare Before Round 11 TKO At Glory In Giza – Highlights

Usyk was pushed deep by the kickboxing king before finally dropping and stopping Verhoeven at the 2:59 mark of Round 11.

Written by Jake Blend
Last updated on May 23rd, 2026
Usyk Rico Verhoeven Tko
Photo: Home of Fight via X

Oleksandr Usyk won in Egypt, but Rico Verhoeven made him work much harder than expected.

Usyk stopped Verhoeven by 11th-round TKO at 2:59 in the Glory in Giza main event on Saturday in Egypt. The fight took place near the Pyramids of Giza and aired on DAZN pay-per-view.

Usyk entered at 24-0 with 15 knockouts, with a record that includes 2012 Olympic gold, an undisputed cruiserweight reign, and heavyweight titles. Verhoeven had only one previous pro boxing match, but he brought deep combat sports experience as GLORY’s longest-reigning heavyweight champion.

On paper, Usyk had the boxing edge by a mile. The Usyk vs. Verhoeven event details and DAZN start time set the stage for a major Egypt show, but Verhoeven made it competitive by pressuring Usyk early and often.

Usyk Had To Climb Out Of A Real Hole Before The Finish

Round 1: Verhoeven opened with pressure, movement, and a willingness to throw heavy right hands immediately. Usyk spent much of the round reading the bigger man, while Verhoeven’s activity and physical presence gave him the stronger start.

Round 2: Usyk began to answer with cleaner boxing, especially short lefts and uppercut looks, but Verhoeven kept closing distance and forcing messy exchanges. The round was tighter, but it still showed that Verhoeven was not going to stand outside and admire Usyk’s footwork.

Round 3: Verhoeven kept the pressure high and continued touching Usyk with right hands and combinations. Usyk landed in spots, but the kickboxing king was still making the champion work harder than expected.

Round 4: Usyk finally found a better rhythm. The uppercut started landing clean, Verhoeven looked hurt during the round, and Usyk began turning the fight away from a physical grind and back toward sharper boxing.

Round 5: Usyk’s counters became more noticeable, and Verhoeven’s early burst appeared to slow. Verhoeven still marched forward, but Usyk was picking better moments and landing the cleaner punches late.

Round 6: Verhoeven stayed stubborn and kept forcing Usyk to exchange instead of letting him coast. Usyk landed a sharp counter left, but Verhoeven’s pressure and output made it another uncomfortable round.

Round 7: Usyk landed cleaner shots early, including counter work as Verhoeven chased him. Verhoeven still answered with power and kept the scoring tight.

Round 8: Verhoeven had one of his best stretches, landing heavy right hands and pushing Usyk backward. Usyk fired back with left hands and uppercuts, but DAZN’s open scoring showed the fight even at 76-76 after eight rounds.

Round 9: Verhoeven continued bullying forward and landing in pockets, while Usyk had to steal moments with counters. The round kept the upset threat alive because Verhoeven was still dictating long stretches.

Round 10: Usyk finally showed the urgency he needed. Verhoeven still pressed and worked inside, but Usyk’s late flurry and cleaner combinations shifted the momentum before the championship rounds.

Round 11: Usyk found separation, sharpened the uppercuts, attacked the body, and dropped Verhoeven hard. Verhoeven beat the count, but Usyk swarmed with follow-up shots until the referee stopped it at the end of the round. Officially, Usyk won by TKO at 2:59 of Round 11.

Watch the entrances, key moments, and finish below in fight-night order:

Verhoeven was not supposed to be this competitive against a boxer with Usyk’s record. Before this fight, the Dutchman’s boxing record was just 1-0, while his reputation came from kickboxing dominance. His size and pressure gave Usyk problems for longer than expected.

Usyk still found the finish before the scorecards could decide it. After Verhoeven came in heavier at the Glory in Giza weigh-in, the physical difference was obvious, but Usyk’s timing and shot selection eventually took over.

The win keeps Usyk unbeaten and adds another unusual chapter to a career that has already moved through Olympic boxing, undisputed cruiserweight success, and heavyweight history. Verhoeven leaves with a loss, but he made the champion fight for it.

Published on May 23, 2026 at 7:27 pm
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Jake Blend

Jake Blend
Jake Blend holds Bachelors in Journalism and has a passion for writing about mixed martial arts and any combat sports.

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