Oleksandr Usyk vs Rico Verhoeven LIVE: Heavyweight champion escapes with a 11th-round

That brings us to the end of a dramatic night at the Pyramids of Giza.

A huge thank you for tuning in and following all the action as Oleksandr Usyk and Rico Verhoeven delivered a unique crossover spectacle on one of the most iconic stages in world sport.

We’ll have full reaction, analysis, and all the fallout from tonight’s result coming your way on Daily Mail Sport. For now, thanks for following along… and we’ll see you next time!

“I thought it was an early stoppage. The referee knows we are almost at the end of the round. Either let me go out on my shield, let the bell go, or let us go out in the 12th. It was so close. I thought we were pretty equal on the scorecards.”

Ring Magazine CEO Rick Reeno was seen in the ring alongside Agit Kabayel, who is the mandatory challenger for Usyk’s WBC heavyweight title.

However, there was already pushback on how that fight situation is being handled. Turki Alalshikh made it clear that it’s ultimately Usyk’s decision, but suggested the timing isn’t quite right for Kabayel to step in for a title shot just yet.

The idea being discussed is that Kabayel would still get his shot down the line, but only after other business is taken care of – including a potential rematch path involving Rico Verhoeven, with talk of that fight potentially taking place in the Netherlands.

Speaking to DAZN after the fight, Usyk said: “This fight was hard. It was a good fight. I was just boxing, my right uppercut, bang. Thank you god.”

“Right now, in Ukraine, my people and my country – there is bombing. My people are sitting in bomb shelters. My family. My daughter sent me a message: ‘Papa, I love you, I’m afraid.’ I said, oh my God.”