Former UFC Star Accuses Boxing of Being ‘Rigged’ Following Oleksandr Usyk Victory

The Verhoeven situation is fresh, but the wound runs deeper. Not long ago, Francis Ngannou fought Tyson Fury, and most people thought he would lose badly. But Ngannou shocked everyone. He even knocked Fury down and did very well in many parts of the fight. Still, the judges gave Fury the win, and many fans felt confused and upset by the result.

The judges saw something the rest of the world apparently didn’t. Now Verhoeven finds himself in a similar conversation. Ahead on the cards, stopped after the bell, with an appeal already in the works. 

Francis Ngannou Stands With Rico Verhoeven After Oleksandr Usyk’s Loss

Ngannou knows exactly how Rico Verhoeven is feeling right now. In his eyes, Verhoeven won that fight. “Outsiders will never win, trust me, I know, but Rico was the winner tonight. Period,” Ngannou said. His message carried a dark undertone that went beyond Saturday night. This wasn’t an outsider looking in and offering an opinion. This was a fighter speaking from personal experience.

His own loss to Tyson Fury in 2023 remains one of the most debated results in recent boxing history. He dropped Fury and controlled rounds. He left many people ringside and at home convinced he had done enough. The judges disagreed. Ngannou’s message to him was simple. He saw what happened. The world saw what happened. And sometimes that has to be enough.