Kabayel (27-0, 19 KOs), of Leverkusen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany, is The Ring’s No. 2 heavyweight and the No. 1 contender for Usyk’s WBC title.
Verhoeven (1-1, 1 KO) turned in a more than admirable effort, and as a result, the fight hung in the balance entering the championship rounds. Two of the judges, Manuel Oliver Palomo and Fabian Guggenheim, had the bout 95-95, while Pasquale Procopio had Verhoeven ahead 96-94.
With just over 20 seconds left in the 11th, Usyk, The Ring’s No. 2 fighter pound-for-pound, dropped Verhoeven with a right uppercut. Verhoeven rose on wobbly legs and had to walk to his corner to have his mouthpiece put back in.
With the end of the round near, Usyk swarmed him with a flurry of punches as his back was in the corner. As the bell began to ring, referee Mark Lyson stepped in to stop the fight before the 12th and final round.