What a shocking brutal weekend for Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Lapin of Ukraine in boxing.
Lapin was blown to Kingdom come by knockout inside the distance and as the main fighter on Usyk’s new Ukrainian-based promotional company, that has absolutely obliterated Usyk even more.
What’s worse, a scared, fearful looking Usyk got battered by a novice pro boxer who almost shocked the world only for a terrible ref stoppage that allowed Usyk to get the win and somehow keep the titles (for now).
Usyk got more than found out and a case of what goes around for him for disrespecting the sport of boxing by fighting a man with one professional boxing match to his name.
The good news was though the card was outstanding with some great fights and knockouts on it and Rico did incredible for a kickboxing champion to fight as he did.
Some things to note on the fight:
- Usyk weighed a career-high 233.25 pounds and looked heavy and sluggish throughout the fightÂ
- Rico Verhoeven, fighting only his second pro boxing bout, out-landed Usyk in total punches 113 to 112 through 11 roundsÂ
- Verhoeven landed 93 power punches to Usyk’s 89Â
- Usyk was letting the first three rounds slide by and looked unusually sluggish
- Usyk was caught several times as the pace slowed and came under heavy pressure on the ropes in rounds 8 and 9Â
- Many scored the ahead for Verhoeven after 10 roundsÂ
- Verhoeven had Usyk backing up and taking strong hooks trying to close distance in round 11Â
- Usyk did not take control until late in round 10 when he rocked Verhoeven with a straight leftÂ
- The Tennessean reported Verhoeven seemingly had the lead on the cards, an outcome almost nobody thought was possibleÂ
By far that was the worst version of Usyk.
That was more than a bad night at the office.
That was a stain on his legacy and a stark, brutal reminder, not to play with the sport of boxing.
A man who had taken on all challengers to only then fight a guy with one pro boxing match, unnaceptable.
What goes around comes around, Usyk.
