'Here's where it's crazy' - Joe Rogan blows Rico Verhoeven's mind with Oleksandr Usyk rematch claim

Joe Rogan has given his damning verdict on the decision to stop the fight between heavyweight champions Oleksandr Usyk and kickboxing legend Rico Verhoeven.

Usyk beat Verhoeven in his second-ever professional boxing match in Egypt in May courtesy of a controversial stoppage in the 11th round with the WBC heavyweight title on the line.

The Dutch fighter produced an impressive performance but Usyk responded and sent him to the canvas late in the penultimate round.

Verhoeven beat the count but the referee called the fight when Usyk continued to land big blows.

An appeal commission later agreed with Verhoeven's claim that the match had been stopped after the bell but declined to overturn the result.

Verhoeven appeared on The Joe Rogan Experience this week and discussed the fight and the appeal with the podcaster and UFC commentator.

"Here's where you know it's crazy," said Rogan.

"It was the most competitive fight of Usyk's career as a heavyweight champion and they're not even talking at all about a rematch.

"That's kind of crazy. Right? Isn't that kind of crazy? They're saying Deontay Wilder, which, all love to Deontay, but Deontay is not Deontay Wilder of 2019."

Usyk's no stranger to getting back in the ring with a conquered foe. Before taking on Verhoeven, his last six fights were against Daniel Dubois twice, Tyson Fury twice and Anthony Joshua twice.

He won all six to maintain a stellar career record of 16 wins, nine by knockout, and no losses. Both Fury and Dubois were beaten by knockout.

"That's a good thing that you just brought that up because before this fight you heard the whole conversation," replied Verhoeven.

"'Okay, we're going to do Rico. After that, I want to fight the winner of Dubois-Wordley, and after that I want to fight Tyson Fury again.'

"The other two are not in the conversation any more, so without taking too much credit for it, I think with this fight, he saw, 'Hmm, this was a little harder than I expected, so let's take a different route.'

"And for me, I don't want a rematch just to have the rematch. I would like the rematch because it makes sense... It's unfinished business."

Verhoeven was on top early in the fight and the scorecards were even at the time of the stoppage at the Pyramids of Giza.

The 37-year-old is a giant of the kickboxing world and boasts a career 66-10 record. He was unbeaten for more than a decade when he vacated his Glory Heavyweight title two years ago.

"As a promoter, what makes more sense than that fight?" said Rogan.

"The Deontay Wilder fight... again, all respect to Deontay, I love that guy, he's one of the greatest knockout artists in the history of the heavyweight division. He's not the same guy.

"You just got off of a crazy performance and the whole world got to see it.

"If any fight warrants a rematch, it's that fight."