Referee in Usyk v Verhoeven fight had seen enough to stop fight in 11th round before bell sounded

The referee involved in the controversial heavyweight bout between Oleksandr Usyk and Rico Verhoeven testified to the Middle East Professional Boxing Commission (MEPB) that he had seen enough to stop the fight in the 11th round before the bell sounded. Verhoeven, 37, lost the May bout and subsequently appealed to the MEPB, also calling for a rematch and an apology. The case centres on the legitimacy of the stoppage and whether the referee's intervention was properly timed.