Oleksandr Usyk survived a gritty, tense contest with Rico Verhoeven to retain his WBA 'super', WBC and IBF heavyweight titles, scoring a knockout with one second left in the 11th round at the Pyramids of Giza. The finish — deemed controversial by some observers — extended Usyk’s unbeaten pro record to 25-0 and underlined that, at 39, he remains one of the division’s elite performers even when given a stern test.
That test came from a 37-year-old Verhoeven, a dominant kickboxing figure who has crossed into boxing. Despite limited professional boxing experience, he proved he can mix it with top-level heavyweights and leaves the fight with his stock arguably enhanced. Usyk, who has repeatedly said he wants only a couple more fights before considering retirement, now faces a quick queue of mandatory challengers and lucrative options.
Immediate contenders and mandatory obligations
The most obvious immediate name is WBC interim champion Agit Kabayel. The unbeaten German has quietly amassed a strong résumé, with stoppage wins over Arslanbek Makhmudov, Frank Sanchez and Zhilei Zhang, and is widely regarded as deserving of a full title shot. However, there has been little sign that Usyk
