Boxing
Rico Verhoeven releases statement after confirming judgment on Usyk’s appeal
Published
3 months agoon
Rico Verhoeven has shared his reaction after the decision to dismiss him following his controversial defeat to Oleksandr Usyk was revealed.
Kickboxing legend Verhoeven challenged Usyk for the heavyweight crown last month at the Giza Pyramids in Egypt, in a fight that most people thought was a large mismatch.
That certainly wasn’t the case, however, as the Dutchman fought Usyk side-by-side for 11 rounds and it looked like the challenger might be on the verge of one of the biggest upsets in boxing history.
In the final phase of the 11th round, Usyk finally fired the shot that knocked down Verhoeven, and although the kickboxing star was able to get back on his feet, further action in the corner led to referee Mark Lyson stopping the fight, which many fans prematurely believed.
Further controversy arose when it emerged that the bell signaling the end of the round had already rung before the stoppage, leading to Verhoeven filing a formal appeal against the defeat.
The Dutchman has now announced the outcome of the appeal in a statement on social mediarevealing that he failed to meet the challenge because the committee found that relevant factors did not change the outcome of the competition.
“On May 24, we filed a formal protest because we truly believed that the way the fight was stopped was seriously questionable. On June 16, we received the Commission’s decision.
“The ruling confirmed that the bell to end round 11 had already sounded before the referee physically waved his hand to end the fight. The official timekeeper said exactly that. The ringside doctor also confirmed that I did not show any signs of disorientation or disorientation after the fight. In the Commission’s opinion, none of these findings changed the result.”
Despite the failure of the appeal, Verhoeven once again made it clear that he believed Usyk should do the right thing and award the rematch.
“Listen, this was never about taking anything away from Oleksandr. He is one of the greatest riders of his generation and I have nothing but respect for what he has done. What remains in my mind is that after eleven unforgettable rounds on one of the biggest and most epic stages in the world, history simply stopped before it was over.
“I truly believe that everyone deserved a chance to see how this fight ended. The fans were denied a 12th round. After everything we both put into this fight, they deserved to see this end.”
“So for me the conclusion is actually very elementary. Let’s end this story and give the fans an immediate rematch!”
For now, it appears Usyk has one of two options for his next fight – either a rematch with Verhoeven or a clash with mandatory WBC title challenger Agit Kabayel.
You may like
Boxing
Dana White Responds to Terence Crawfords Return from Retirement for Ryan Garcia Fight
Published
2 hours agoon
September 28, 2026
Zuffa Boxing promoter Dana White believes Terence Crawford will end his retirement, but remains unsure whether he would choose to face Ryan Garcia.
The 38-year-old announced his exit from the sport last December, calling time on a scintillating career that saw him become a three-division undisputed king.
He did so by moving up two weight classes and dethroning Canelo Alvarezwho produced an impressive performance but ultimately lost their super-middleweight encounter by unanimous decision.
But while Crawford cemented his greatness by moving up to 168lbs, his frame, even now, is much better suited to the 147lb and 154lb divisions.
He has therefore been linked to fights with Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis and, more recently, Garcia, who retained his WBC world welterweight title with a second-round finish over Conor Benn earlier this month.
It then came as a surprise when The Ring’s Mike Coppinger reported that a clash between Garcia and Crawford, who has expressed his own bewildermentis being considered as a replacement for Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua.
The two heavyweights are set to collide at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on December 11 but, due to issues behind the scenes, their long-awaited showdown now appears to be in jeopardy.
While addressing the Garcia rumour at a Zuffa press conference, though, White admitted he is unsure that Crawford would make such a speedy return.
“I don’t know if that’s the fight Crawford would come back for. There’s a lot of options out there, obviously for Ryan. The question is: what is the fight that Crawford would come back for?
“I think there’s a fight out there that Crawford would come back for, [but] I don’t know if Ryan’s it.”
Dana White CLEARS UP Crawford vs Garcia rumors!!! 💨 🔥
“I don’t know if that’s the fight Crawford would come back for. There’s a lot of options out there obviously for Ryan, the question is what is the fight that Crawford would come back for!”- Dana White pic.twitter.com/JDwDK9u8w4
— Fight Hub TV (@FightHubTV) September 27, 2026
While White has claimed to have been involved in negotiations, it remains to be seen – should the fight actually take place, that is – whether he will have any promotional participation in Fury-Joshua.
Boxing
Gervonta Davis Expresses Desire to Share Fight Card with Naoya Inoue
Published
6 hours agoon
September 28, 2026
Gervonta Davis says he would share a card with Naoya Inouebut he will not fight him. He points to the weight difference. They compete 13 pounds apart: Tank could come down five pounds to 130, and Inoue could move up eight. Both would have to take a risk, but the fight is possible if they want it.
“I’ll fight on a card with him, but not [against] him. It’s weight classes for a reason. Let him be great,” said Tank Davis on his MoneyTwofly account on September 27 and then deleted.
Davis floating a joint event forces the question of billing: where would Tank actually fight on that card? Sticking Davis into an undercard slot below Inoue reduces him to a fading attraction riding another champion’s coattails. Inoue cleaned out divisions and chased every meaningful belt across multiple weight classes.
Davis spent years squatting on secondary titles at lightweight while sidestepping elite threats. Place both men on the same bill, and the difference in ambition becomes impossible to ignore. He has never stepped through the ropes as an underdog. Every matchup has been against opposition he was expected to beat, which is another reason why his popularity has gone downhill since 2023.
Dropping to 130 pounds to fight Inoue would ask something of Tank that his recent schedule hasn’t: make the weight, take a serious risk, and face a fighter who can hurt him. Win or lose, that is the kind of fight that would get people talking about Davis for what he does in the ring again.
Sharing Inoue’s card offers Tank an easier deal. He gets the crowd, the international attention, and a big payday without having to fight Inoue. If Tank then takes a soft opponent in the co-feature, he gets the benefit of Inoue’s event while avoiding the challenge that made the idea interesting in the first place.
About the author
Boxing 24/7 Wire
Boxing247.com is an independent boxing news publication covering the sport since 2001. It provides original reporting, fight analysis, schedules, results, and informed coverage of major fighters and events worldwide, backed by more than 25 years of professional boxing journalism.
Boxing
Dan Rafael Backs Joshua and Hearn Amid Fury Dispute
Published
18 hours agoon
September 27, 2026
Eddie Hearn has spent years building Anthony Joshua into one of boxing’s biggest attractions. Dan Rafael argues that Hearn has no reason to give Dana White a promotional role in Joshua’s fight with Tyson Furyespecially if the agreement excludes him.
The December 11 fight has been announced for Cardiff on Netflix, but its promotional arrangements remain in dispute. Critics have portrayed Hearn and Joshua as obstacles to a fight fans have wanted for years. Rafael’s response is that a signed deal should mean something, even when enforcing it delays a major event.
“Why should Eddie Hearn help assist that by letting them get the foot in the door to be the promoter of arguably the largest fight going right now on a mega platform like Netflix? Eddie is not a dummy. Why would you do that? You protect your asset. You purposely negotiated a deal point that said that this person could not be involved in the promotion,” said Rafael to iFL TV.
His point is sharper than a personal defense of Hearn. Joshua is the attraction Matchroom helped build. Giving Zuffa Boxing credit for promoting Joshua–Fury on Netflix would put a direct competitor beside that attraction at the moment of maximum exposure. White would gain a showcase for Zuffa without having spent the years developing Joshua’s career.
The broadcast relationship adds another reason for Hearn to stand firm. A prominent role in this event could help White build ties with Netflix for future boxing shows. It does not follow that one fight would make Zuffa the platform’s gatekeeper, but Hearn would hardly want to help a rival make that introduction using Matchroom’s biggest star.
None of that settles what the contracts actually require. They have not been made public, and Rafael’s assertion that Joshua’s agreement is being breached remains his account of the dispute. But if Matchroom negotiated a restriction on White’s promotional role, treating it as disposable because the fight has been announced would weaken the value of the term Hearn fought to secure.
Rafael proposed a way through: The Ring promotes the main event, while White attends at Turki Alalshikh’s invitation and participates through Zuffa fighters on the undercard. Whether that satisfies Joshua’s agreement is for the parties to decide. It does, however, separate White’s presence at the show from promoting Joshua–Fury itself.
Rafael also raised Joshua’s camp’s concern about Fury joining the agreed drug testing program. That deserves scrutiny and a response from Fury’s side, but there is no basis here to claim either camp is using testing as a bargaining tactic.
Rafael believes the payday will ultimately bring everyone together. Until then, Hearn’s refusal to yield on White’s role has a straightforward business logic: Joshua helped make this fight valuable, and Matchroom does not have to hand a rival the promotional credit for it.

About the author
Boxing 24/7 Wire
Boxing247.com is an independent boxing news publication covering the sport since 2001. It provides original reporting, fight analysis, schedules, results, and informed coverage of major fighters and events worldwide, backed by more than 25 years of professional boxing journalism.
Dana White Responds to Terence Crawfords Return from Retirement for Ryan Garcia Fight
Gervonta Davis Expresses Desire to Share Fight Card with Naoya Inoue
Dana White baffled by Max Kellerman’s Fury-Joshua claim
Trending
-
Boxing2 days agoJohnny Fisher vs Michael Pirotton Scorecard Analysis: Key Highlights and Insights
-
MMA2 days agoVideo: Watch vicious one-punch knockout from Too Hot to Handle star
-
MMA2 days agoTony Ferguson defends Misfits Boxing middleweight title with second-round knockout of Mahmood Sebie
-
Boxing2 days agoPaulie Malignaggis Insightful Verdict on Manny Pacquiao vs Shakur Stevenson Fight
-
MMA2 days agoVideo: UFC fighter disqualified after brutal illegal knee knocks out opponent
-
MMA2 days agoUFC legend edges Euphoria actor in Misfits Boxing debut
-
MMA2 days agoUFC Vegas 121 video: Luis Hernandez taps Sedriques Dumas in under a minute with nasty choke
-
Boxing1 day agoTakuma Inoue vs Tenshin Nasukawa II Live Results and Highlights


