Boxing commission dismisses Rico Verhoeven appeal against Oleksandr Usyk
The Middle East Professional Boxing Commission has dismissed an appeal by Rico Verhoeven regarding his controversial eleventh-round defeat to unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk in May.
The 37-year-old Dutchman formally protested the result after claiming referee Mark Lyson ended the contest in Egypt after the official bell had sounded.
In a ruling seen by BBC Sport, the governing body agreed that the physical wave-off occurred fractionally after the bell.
However, officials concluded this timing discrepancy had no bearing on the final outcome.
Referee prioritised fighter safety
The panel stated that Lyson acted in good faith with the paramount objective of protecting the challenger.
The official told the commission he had already seen enough to halt the bout before the round ended.
“I decided I wanted to stop the contest… I had already seen enough.”
The commission emphasised that the referee remains the sole arbiter of the contest.
They added that an official retains the unfettered right to stop a fight at any time, including between rounds.
Scorecards favoured the challenger
The kickboxing legend was on the verge of a major upset against the undefeated Ukrainian before a late surge sent him to the canvas.
Judges’ scorecards at the time of the stoppage read 95-95, 95-95, and 96-94 in favour of the challenger.
Despite beating the count, a follow-up flurry from the defending champion prompted the referee to step in.
Procedural error over bad faith
Official timekeeper Brad William identified a timing discrepancy regarding the final wave-off.
The panel acknowledged this evidence but ruled that a fractional delay does not constitute corruption or fraud.
Medical assessments from Dr Neil Scott confirmed the beaten fighter was stable after just his second professional boxing appearance.
Following the dismissal of his protest, the defeated heavyweight argued that fans were denied a thrilling final round.
He is now demanding an immediate rematch with the unified world champion.
