Now that the World Boxing Council (WBC) has promoted Agit Kabayel to world champion, the focus is on planning his next fight in Germany.
Agit Kabayel is in need of a little relaxation. The new WBC heavyweight world champion is on a short vacation in Spain, trying to process recent events. “I still need a little time to let it all sink in,” Kabayel told his fans in a video. “Sixteen, seventeen years of hard work—and we’ve finally reached our goal.”
After Oleksandr Usyk vacated his world titles (WBC, IBF, and WBA Super) a few days ago , the “Liver King” from the Ruhr region was promoted by the WBC to the new champion in the “premier division.” Kabayel has thus made history, becoming the first heavyweight world champion from Germany in 94 years since Max Schmeling.
But what happens next? The fact is: a title fight against Usyk is now off the table. Next, Kabayel plans to step into the ring this fall at a German stadium to defend his WBC belt. Will this be a voluntary or a mandatory defense? “That’s for the WBC to decide, and to be honest, I don’t care,” the German heavyweight star told BOXSPORT when asked. “I just want to fight.”
Behind the scenes, Kabayel’s team is already working on planning the next fight. A glance at the WBC rankings reveals names like Tyson Fury (No. 1), Moses Itauma (3), Anthony Joshua (5), and Deontay Wilder (7), who are theoretically in the running for a world title bout against the new champion from Germany. But “I’ll leave that to my management,” Kabayel told BOXSPORT. “One thing is clear: I’m always looking for the biggest athletic challenge. The problem in the past was that this wasn’t always the case with my opponents. But we’ll see what happens…”
In professional boxing, unification bouts are among the greatest athletic challenges. Britain’s Daniel Dubois currently reigns as the WBO champion, while the world titles held by the IBF and WBA are currently vacant. Kabayel is eager to win more world championship belts. “One hundred percent,” he confirms. But that’s still a long way off. “First, I want to defend my belt—and then win more,” says the undefeated 33-year-old WBC world champion.
Does he feel a special “obligation” toward Max Schmeling at the moment of his greatest athletic triumph? “Max Schmeling didn’t exactly help me,” says Kabayel. “But I think it’s nice that his name is coming up so often now and that he won’t be forgotten this way, because he achieved great things.”
Text: Frank Schwantes
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