Oleksandr Usyk avoided one of the biggest upsets in boxing history by an absolute whisker.Unified world champion Usyk took on kickboxing legend Verhoeven in what was a shock fight, but a historic event at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt.Usyk beat Verhoeven and forced a stoppage in the penultimate round to avoid one of the biggest upsets in historyUsyk couldn’t cope with Verhoeven, a kickboxer with spirit and courage, who nearly became the first to ever tame himMatchroom BoxingUsyk had of course the experience and odds in his favour as the gifted and undefeated champion.Verhoeven is one of the greatest in another sport in kickboxing, but was facing a near impossible task to try and surmount the challenge.Victory for the Dutchman gave him the opportunity to record one of the biggest upsets in sporting history.A stunned silence took over the historic event as round by round, Verhoeven put on one of the most remarkable and unlikely performances of all-time.Usyk simply couldn’t get going and match the fast-moving powerhouse, who looked like an immovable force as he eyed history.But incredibly he upped the ante and managed to drop Verhoeven to the canvas in the penultimate round.Somehow he avoided the historic defeat, with the referee stepping in perhaps prematurely to halt the contest with Verhoeven on his feet in the eleventh round.The Dutchman’s corner were fuming and felt he still had more to give, but the kickboxer’s performance will go down in the history books forever and ever.Many from the boxing world branded the stoppage a ‘robbery’ and there was significant backlash in global reaction.Breaking news. More to follow…