Had they been friends, Verhoeven may even have given some to Usyk during their date in front of the pyramids last night. But instead, the odd couple were opponents. Not only that, Verhoeven and Usyk met in a boxing ring, the one area of life in which we knew with a degree of certainty that Verhoeven had no edge on Usyk. Anywhere else and he might have stood a chance, but in the boxing ring, where he had fought only once, Verhoeven was inferior to Usyk in every single regard. There, in Usyk’s domain, the Ukrainian had a better jab, a better cross, a better hook, and a better uppercut. He also had better power, better speed, a better chin, better stamina, better footwork, and better credentials.
