Oleksandr Usyk, Ukraine’s unbeaten heavyweight world champion, stopped the Dutch former kickboxer Rico Verhoeven with one second remaining in the penultimate round to avoid what would have been one of the biggest boxing upsets of all time on Saturday.

The WBC title fight at the pyramids of Giza was considered a mismatch but Verhoeven, whose sole previous professional boxing fight was 12 years ago, tore up the script in mind-boggling fashion from the opening bell and had looked on course to win.

Until the controversial stoppage, he had proved to be more than a tricky competitor and gave Usyk a huge scare. His jerky style, bulldozing aggression and powerful right hand had troubled a sluggish-looking Usyk for most of the fight.

In a chaotic ending, Usyk dropped the challenger late in the 11th round and the referee waved it off after Usyk pounced when Verhoeven beat the count shortly before the bell. With so little time left in the round, it was a hugely controversial call from the referee. “I thought it was an early stoppage but in the end it’s not up to me,” Verhoeven told Dazn moments later while still in the ring. “I wanted the referee to let me go out on my shield or let me go in the 12th. I felt we were pretty even on the scorecards.”

He said he was thankful for the opportunity and revealed that Usyk had offered him a rematch. “I am super proud of my performance and hopefully the boxing world embraces me as a boxer,” he added.

Verhoeven had started well, landing a couple of vicious right hands in the opening round. Usyk struggled to find his range and, although he had a good fourth round, rocking Verhoeven with an uppercut, he seemed to be losing most of the early rounds. As the rounds ticked down everyone waited for Usyk to assert his superiority, but that did not come until the end of the 11th. A flush right hand sent Verhoeven down and through the ropes. Once he was up, Usyk unleashed a barrage. His opponent looked as if he would be saved by the bell until the referee intervened.

“I know right now, Ukrainian people are sitting in the bomb shelter, my daughter too, in a bomb shelter, sent me a message saying, ‘Papa, I love you, you will win’,” said Usyk. “Thank you so much, Rico. You are an amazing fighter. Thank you so much to your team. My team, I love you. My wife, I love you. You are my light and my heart. This fight was hard. It was a good fight.”