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Rico Verhoeven insists he has plenty of tools in his arsenal to surprise Oleksandr Usyk for a second time.
Verhoeven came close to taking the unified world heavyweight champion the distance in their showdown earlier this month before Usyk forced a stoppage in controversial circumstances, with just one second remaining in round 11.
talking sky sports, Verhoeven explained how he hit Usyk in the ring – and where more will come from when the pair meet again.
“I’d like to believe there’s a world where maybe he wasn’t at his best, I was doing really well, and those two things combined made the fight look the way it did,” Verhoeven said.
“I definitely hit him in a lot of places, especially in the body. I wasn’t close enough to get him out of there, but the next day, he’s going to feel it.
“It’s just me opening the toolbox. I’ve only shown a few tools. There’s more than one way we can fight Usyk. The next one is going to be a surprise again.”
The dramatic finish to their fight at the foot of the Pyramids of Giza prompted calls for an immediate rematch.
Verhoeven is confident he can hit Usyk again if a rematch materializes
Whether Verhoeven gives UC another shot remains to be seen, with the Ukrainian ordered to face WBC-mandated Ajit Kabael or vacate that belt.
This left Verhoeven in the dark about what would happen next.
“I have no clue,” he said. “It’s none of my business. Let’s see where his mind is.”
‘I am the top star at the box office’
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Andy Scott joins Hamzah Shiraz and Tony Sims as they discuss USC’s stoppage win over Verhoeven
If a rematch with Usyk fails to materialize, Verhoeven has only one condition for his burgeoning boxing career: the biggest fight in the best position, no matter who the opponent is.
Asked if he now sees his future in boxing, the former kickboxing world champion replied: “I hope so.
“I’m open to seeing what opportunities come up because the whole world has reached out to me. It’s been crazy. Let’s see what the next steps mean.
“I just want to do the biggest fights – big fights in crazy locations. We can draw a bunch of viewers. They see what we’re capable of, and they see that I’m one of the top box-office stars.
“It’s not about me who I fight next. It’s about the organization. Who do they want to see me against? I’ll be ready to fight anybody.”
Watch Chris Billam-Smith vs Ryan Rosicky at the Zuffa Boxing Show in Bournemouth on June 6 live on Sky Sports.
