Oleksandr Usyk’s options reviewed after dramatic 11th-round victory over Rico Verhoeven in Giza | Boxing News

Mandatory against Agit Kabayel? A rematch with Rico Verhoeven? What’s next for Oleksandr Usyk after his dramatic victory in front of the Pyramids?

Usyk survived a horror scare, stopping Verhoeven in the final seconds of round 11 just as the Dutch kickboxer threatened to pull off one of boxing’s biggest upsets.

On a night when the champion looked unusually weak, the shockwaves of his performance rippled throughout the division, suddenly reshaping the heavyweight landscape — and Usyk’s options.

Agit Kabyle

The WBC mandatory challenger has been patiently waiting for his shot at Usyk and is now in pole position.

After defeating Verhoeven, Usyk must next defend his WBC title against Kabayel or risk being stripped of the belt.

Kabyle was at ringside to witness Issek’s performance and came to the ring to personally challenge Issek.

“First of all, congratulations to Alexander,” he said. “I’ve waited so long for this situation; I’m ready.

“Germany is waiting for the fight. I know many Ukrainians live in Germany. Let’s fight in a stadium in Germany. Boxing fans want this fight; let’s do it.

Usyk replied: “Okay, no problem, brother, I’m ready.”

Rico Verhoeven Rematch?

As the final bell rang, the possibility of an immediate rematch became real.

Ring magazine CEO Rick Reno added Kabiel to Ring, as did Turki Al-Sheikh, who made it clear that Verhoeven’s performance had changed the conversation.

The Dutchman may have fallen short, but he pushed Isk to the brink in a way few expected – and that only fuelled calls for a second meeting.

Al-Sheikh outlined his vision for how the next chapter should unfold, balancing imperatives with an appetite for blockbuster returns.

“It’s Usyk’s choice. It’s not the right time,” he said. “That [Kabayel] is on the line, but Rico deserves a rematch after Kabyle. We want to see Kabyle and then a rematch with Rico in the Netherlands.”

A rematch in the Netherlands – Verhoeven’s home turf – would be a huge commercial event, and given how close he came to pulling off a seismic upset, there is an appetite to see him again.

Frank Sanchez

Fresh off a devastating second-round knockout of Richard Torres Jr. in an IBF final eliminator, Frank Sanchez wasted no time getting his name in the mix.

The Cuban has long been regarded as one of the most elusive fighters in the division, and with momentum behind him, he’s made it clear he wants to keep his shot at the very top.

“I have been working full-time in the gym with my team, keeping myself in shape while waiting for this opportunity,” he said.

“It came, I took it, and now I’m ready for whatever comes next. Usyk, we’re ready for you whenever you want.”

Catching time with Usyk?

Was this performance the first sign that time was running out on Usyk?

The 39-year-old, who weighed in at a career-high 16 st 9 lb, looked unusually flat during the middle rounds – the phase of the fight where he usually takes control.

His reactions were slow, his feet were a touch heavy, and for a long time he was pushed back by a man with only one professional boxing bout to his name.

Former cruiserweight world champion Tony Bellew, who lost a title fight to Usyk in 2018, believes Verhoeven exposed weaknesses in the Ukrainian that had never been exposed before.

“This bout is the only time in his entire career that I’ve seen Usyk outworked on a consistent basis. At the back end of every round, he was losing and getting out.

“Rico Verhoeven came out victorious. He may not have had his hand raised, but as we expected, he produced one of the biggest surprises boxing has ever seen.

“We’ll never know if Verhoeven would have made it to round 12, so we should probably do it again. At least that’s the lad after the performances he’s put in so far.”