Germany’s heavyweight hopeful Agit Kabayel is set to step into the ring in front of a home crowd in Oberhausen at the beginning of next year.
Agit Kabayel, who recently boxed three times in a row in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), is returning to Germany for his next ring appearance. As reported by “Bild”, the “homecoming” of the WBC interim champion will take place on January 10 in the Rudolf Weber Arena in Oberhausen (approx. 13,000 seats). The streaming service DAZN is already broadcasting the eagerly awaited fight live. The last time “Germany’s Boxer of the Year” boxed on home soil was in March 2023, when he became European champion in Bochum against Agron Smakici with a knockout win.
Opponent search: a fighter from the top 10
However, it is not yet known who Kabayel will fight in Oberhausen. A world championship fight against undisputed champion Oleksandr Usyk, who also holds the WBC belt , still seems a long way off. Especially as Usyk would theoretically first have to fulfill his obligations with the WBO, where Joseph Parker is his official mandatory challenger.
Most recently, names such as Deontay Wilder, Lawrence Okolie, Tony Yoka and Nelson Hysa have been speculated as possible opponents for Kabayel. The focus of the search is said to be on a boxer who is ranked in the top 10 by the four major world federations. This would at least apply to Hysa (WBA no. 7, WBO no. 9) – the “Albanian Eagle” is undefeated in 23 fights (23-0, 21 knockouts). Britain’s Okolie (22-1, 16 knockouts) is also ranked top by several federations (no. 1 WBC, no. 4 WBO).
Heavyweight talents on the undercard
In addition, several German talents will be allowed to present themselves on the undercard at the “Leberking’s” homecoming. According to the report, heavyweights such as AGON boxer Granit Shala (18-1, 7 knockouts) and Viktor Jurk (11-0, 9 knockouts), who is managed by long-time Klitschko manager Bernd Bönte, are being discussed.
Text: Frank Schwantes