Oleksandr Usyk against Agit Kabayel is far from fixed, but it is much hotter than recently. Talks about a fight in Germany in the fall are ongoing in the background.
Agit Kabayel can hope for the big time again. After months of waiting, there is movement in the possible world championship fight against Oleksandr Usyk. According to The Ring, Saudi entertainment minister and boxing mogul Turki Al-Sheikh is planning to talk to Usyk about a title fight against Kabayel in Germany – provided the Ukrainian wins against Rico Verhoeven in Egypt on May 23.
In sporting terms, the Bochum native has long been in position. The 33-year-old holds the WBC interim title and should actually be the next challenger after Usyk’s voluntary title defense. WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman had already made it clear: After Verhoeven, it’s Kabayel for Usyk – or the title could become vacant.
According to BILD, a meeting between a Kabayel confidant and Al-Sheikh is also to take place in Saudi Arabia. The goal is apparently a stadium fight in Germany, possibly in the fall. The German himself is also expected to be at the Usyk event at the pyramids of Giza at the end of May. Nothing has been signed yet. But the chance of a German heavyweight world championship fight has not seemed so concrete for a long time.
Text by Robin Josten