They are saying it was tense watching my fight with Rico😄 Guys, I just didn’t want you to be bored, come on. pic.twitter.com/sx98sd2ueo
— Oleksandr Usyk (@usykaa) May 24, 2026
The undisputed heavyweight champion fought a noticeably different style against Rico during Saturday night’s event on the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt. As a substitute of controlling distance and limiting exchanges, Usyk spent long stretches standing directly in front of Rico and exchanging punches in a dramatic back-and-forth fight.
That approach helped turn the competition into one of the discussed fights of the yr. Rico landed way more clean shots than many fans expected, and there have been several moments where Usyk willingly stayed in range and traded as an alternative of resetting and boxing from the skin.
The fight led to controversy within the eleventh round when referee Mark Lyson stopped the bout just after the bell sounded. Many fans believed Rico must have been allowed to proceed into the twelfth round after surviving the knockdown.
Usyk’s post only added more fuel to the talk. Some fans viewed the message because the champion joking about creating drama on purpose, while others argued Rico’s success had nothing to do with entertainment and every part to do with the pressure he was capable of apply through the fight.
The response to the post continued to grow throughout Sunday, with tons of of comments debating whether Usyk intentionally selected a riskier style for the sake of entertainment.
Even with the controversy, Usyk retained his undisputed heavyweight championship and stays in position for possible fights against Agit Kabayel, Daniel Dubois, Tyson Fury, or a rematch with Rico.