Agit Kabayel has withdrawn from the final eliminator against Martin Bakole. What’s next for the German heavyweight?
The IBF eliminator between Agit Kabayel and Martin Bakole expected for February will not take place. As Bakole’s trainer Billy Nelson announced via X, the Bochum native has withdrawn from the fight. The winner of this duel would have had the chance to take the IBF world title from Daniel Dubois. Now it seems that Zhilei Zhang could take over Kabayel’s position.
Kabayel’s withdrawal raises new questions about his next challenge. The heavyweight had boxed his way to the top of the rankings with impressive victories over Arslanbek Makhmudov and Frank Sanchez in 2023. With these successes, he rose to become a top contender for a world title fight and was seeded by the IBF for the final eliminator against Bakole.
According to reports, the Kabayel and Bakole teams were unable to reach an agreement. The IBF therefore set a purse bid to auction the hosting rights – a deadline that has now passed without result. Kabayel’s decision to pull out of the fight opens the door for Zhilei Zhang, the next ranked contender, to take on Bakole. This duel could take place as early as spring 2025.
The future remains open for Kabayel. Possible scenarios include a possible fight against Anthony Joshua or other high-profile opponents. While the heavyweight scene remains in flux, Kabayel is likely to look for a lucrative and prestigious option in the coming months – after all, the German is still the mandatory challenger for the WBC heavyweight title.
Text by Robin Josten