Oleksandr Usyk: Frank Warren ‘will not stand for’ Rico Verhoeven rematch for Azit Kabael heavyweight title fight | Boxing news

Frank Warren has warned Oleksandr Usyk he “won’t stand up” for the Ukrainian, saying he would relish the prospect of a rematch with Rico Verhoeven rather than a fight with Ajit Kabael.

Usyk survived an almighty scare by stopping Verhoeven in the closing seconds of round 11 just as the Dutch kickboxer threatened to pull off one of boxing’s biggest upsets in Giza.

Talk of a WBC heavyweight world champion rematch was ignited when promoter Turki Alalsikh took to the stage and said Verhoeven’s performance changed the conversation.

Kabael is the WBC mandatory challenger for Usyk, meaning the Ukrainian risks being stripped of his belt if he chooses to face a different opponent – a decision Queensberry promotions chief Warren strongly advises against the title holder taking.

“(Kabael) has beaten anybody he’s put in front of, and he’s a real, real class act, a nice guy and he can fight,” Warren said. Sky Sports. “He deserves to be number one, and he’s been there for a while.

“They might be talking about a rematch with Usyk and Rico (Verhoeven), we’re not going to stand for that.

“Usik has been there long enough, and he wants his moment, and that’s what we’ll push with the WBC, and hopefully get it over the line and do the same in the fall.

“If he doesn’t take it, he has to empty it, or take it away, it’s that simple.

“You’re a champion, you defend the belts, that’s what you’re there for, if you don’t defend them, you’ve got to give them up and give other people a chance to make their name.

Warren: Verhoeven surprised everyone

Despite Warren’s preference for opponents, the promoter was more than appreciative of Verhoeven, who wowed audiences around the world by running unbeaten Uesk Close in each of his second professional bouts.

“I thought it would be a fairly routine sort of thing for USIC, but it didn’t turn out the way it did,” Warren said.

“Old Rico, he showed a lot of heart, a lot of desire and he showed some skill and he was very aggressive in his movement, and the way he came forward.

“For me, (Verhoeven) won the fight. I didn’t understand the scoring. I honestly thought he was ahead by a couple of rounds.

“I think the referee could have let it go. Having said that, the referee is not a timekeeper. That’s not his job. He has to stop the fight when he thinks it’s appropriate. That’s what he has to do.

“But I think he could have let it go given where they got in the 11th round, but he was close to the action. It was his decision and it turned out to be a very, very exciting fight and a big surprise.”

Watch Chris Billam-Smith vs Ryan Rosicky at the Zuffa Boxing Show in Bournemouth on June 6 live on Sky Sports.