Oleksandr Usyk’s performance against Rico Verhoeven continues to divide opinion, but John Fury believes the Ukrainian deserves much more recognition than he received after their heavyweight clash.

Usyk defended his WBC, WBA and IBF heavyweight titles following an 11th-round victory over Verhoeven last month, although the result sparked debate after the Dutchman enjoyed considerable success throughout the competition.

Verhoeven had a slight advantage on one judge’s scorecard after 10 rounds, while the other two judges fought even at 95-95. Usyk eventually turned the tide with a right uppercut that knocked down the former kickboxing champion before referee Mark Lyson waved off the fight once the round had already ended.

Despite the criticism directed at Usyk’s performance, John Fury emphasized that the three-time undisputed champion should not be judged too harshly.

“No, you know, because ultimately he created problems. He’s a 6-foot-6 athlete, he trains like a demon, he’s as robust as a bull, and he plays like a badger. He’s going to cause problems. World kickboxing champion. I don’t know who said he doesn’t have a chance,” John told Secondsout about Usyk’s fight with the much larger Verhoeven.

Fury also pointed to a size disadvantage that Usyk has consistently overcome since moving up from cruiserweight.

“You have to give Usyk credit because he’s just a cruiserweight that’s blowing up, you know, and he’s won heavyweight titles, right? But you know what? He just seems to have done his job, right? And he’s done his job. So fair game to Usyk.”

However, Fury remained critical of the controversial ending, arguing that Verhoeven’s corner should have been used to determine whether their fighter was able to continue in the final round.

Verhoeven has since called for a rematch, although Usyk’s immediate future remains uncertain. The undefeated champion has been ordered by the WBC to make a mandatory defense against Agit Kabayel, and failure to do so could jeopardize his title reign.

Olly Campbell is a boxing journalist covering this sport since 2014, providing reports from the ring and technical analyzes of the most critical fights. His work focuses on fighter tendencies, tactical adjustments and the details that shape high-level competition.

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Last update: 2026/06/12 at 13:57

Jesse Rodriguez isn’t looking to crown himself boxing’s pound-for-pound king just yet, admitting that Naoya Inoue and Oleksandr Usyk should be higher than him on the charts.

On achievement alone, it’s strenuous to dispute the 26-year-old’s assessment, given that both Inoue and Usyk have become undisputed two-division champions.

However, based on recent performances, it could be argued that ‘Bam’ has been a bit strenuous on himself, especially considering Usyk’s needy performance against Rico Verhoeven last month.

Rodriguez, on the other hand, secured decisive stoppages against Phumelela Cafu and Fernando Martinez last year to become the unified 115-pound champion.

Thanks to this momentum, he now has a chance to become a three-division world champion against Antonio Vargas, whom he will face next Saturday for the WBA bantamweight title.

If he emerges victorious, Rodriguez will be ready to face super bantamweight king Inoue, whom he called a top fighter in the sport.

Elsewhere on his list, “Bam” admitted that four-division world champion Shakur Stevenson also ranks above him, solely based on his unanimous decision victory over Teofimo Lopez in January.

Disclosure of this information during a media conference with several outlets, including: Fighting the noiseRodriguez admitted that Usyk also deserves a place in the top three.

“I think I’m in fourth place. I was in third place, but after Shakur won [against] Teofimo, I feel I have no choice but to put him in third place.

“So I have Inoue first, Usyk second, Shakur [at three] and then myself [at four]”

Rodriguez, while not doing enough to finish in the top three, will certainly change his mind if he can beat Inoue, who he could face in slow 2026 or early next year.

The former WBC cruiserweight world champion expressed concerns about White’s understanding of boxing, suggesting that a background in mixed martial arts did not automatically translate to success within the established boxing structure.

“Dana White is an embarrassment from a boxing standpoint,” Bellew said on “Fight Your Conner” and “Stomping Ground.”

“When someone speaks the boxing language, it’s like speaking a foreign language, right? You immediately know if someone can speak the language.

“When you can’t talk about the whole card you’ve got, it’s perilous. If you can’t name the entire card and all your players, you are playing the wrong sport.

White officially launched Zuffa Boxing in 2025 under the TKO Group banner in partnership with Saudi-backed Sela.

After promoting the Canelo Alvarez-Terence Crawford event in September 2025, Zuffa Boxing has expanded its performance schedule into early 2026.

Despite his criticism, Bellew was quick to acknowledge White’s achievements in the UFC.

“I say this about a man who I have a lot of respect for and admire for what he has done and what he has built in the UFC because I am a UFC fan,” Bellew said.

“I am full of admiration.”

White has previously outlined ambitions to bring elements of the UFC model to boxing, including a more structured promotion system and a consistent calendar of events aimed at making fighters recognizable stars.

However, Bellew believes the conventional structure of boxing makes this approach problematic, especially when it comes to fighters.

“I care about the fighters and what they’re doing to them, and what they’re going to do to the fighters is wrong in every way.

“The main thing they don’t care about is the fighters,” Bellew said.

Zuffa Boxing promoted the Canelo Alvarez-Terence Crawford event in September 2025 and then expanded to a wider variety of shows in 2026. Since then, the company has continued to expand its lineup while increasing the frequency of its events in the United States and abroad.