Oleksandr Usyk has outlined his next fights – and Agit Kabayel is not in them. The German WBC interim champion is disappointed and clearly criticizes the heavyweight king.
Agit Kabayel has reacted with disappointment and anger to the latest statements made by heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk. The Ukrainian had recently stated that he wanted to fight kickboxing star Rico Verhoeven first in his last three fights and then set his sights on the winner of the duel between Fabio Wardley and Daniel Dubois. Usyk also mentioned a third fight with Tyson Fury as a possible conclusion to his career.
For Kabayel, who as WBC interim champion is officially the mandatory challenger, this planning is tantamount to a clear rebuff. The Bochum native had long hoped for his chance against the undisputed champion. In an interview with RTL/ntv and sport.de, the 33-year-old expressed his frustration. He was particularly upset that Usyk had not even mentioned his name in his plans for the future. According to Kabayel’s assessment, the champion is now primarily concerned with lucrative fights – sporting commitments apparently play a subordinate role.
Kabayel sees himself as perfectly legitimized for a title fight. In recent years, he has made his mark with victories over Arslanbek Makhmudov, Frank Sanchez and Zhilei Zhang and worked his way to the top of the WBC rankings. His early success over Zhang in particular brought him great international recognition.
What happens next remains to be seen. Should Usyk actually refuse the mandatory defense, the WBC could react – in extreme cases even by stripping him of his title. Kabayel and his team now want to wait and see how the association positions itself. However, one thing is clear: without a clear perspective, it is difficult for the German to plan his next sporting steps. Meanwhile, a fight originally planned for May is off the table for the time being. Kabayel does not want to fight a build-up fight as long as his situation in the title race remains unclear.
Text by Robin Josten