Oleksandr Usyk is relinquishing his world championship belts. Now the WBC must decide whether Agit Kabayel will be named world champion immediately.
A bombshell in the heavyweight division: Oleksandr Usyk has announced on Instagram that he will relinquish his world titles. This makes it clear that the mandatory bout against Agit Kabayel, previously ordered by the WBC, will no longer take place. For the German interim world champion, this decision could now have historic consequences.
The 39-year-old Ukrainian had most recently been ordered by the WBC to defend his title against Kabayel. Both camps had until June 30 to agree on the fight. But serious negotiations apparently never materialized. Instead, Usyk is now bringing his title reign to a close and clearing the way for a shake-up at the top of the heavyweight division. According to several reports, Usyk does not necessarily intend to retire immediately, but may still fight one last bout.
For Kabayel, the situation is now particularly exciting. As the WBC interim world champion, the Bochum native is the obvious candidate for promotion to full champion. Should the organization choose this path, Kabayel would be the first German heavyweight world champion since Max Schmeling. Alternatively, the WBC could also order a fight for the vacant title. Most recently, Tyson Fury has also been mentioned as a possible candidate, as he continues to hold a prominent position in the WBC rankings.
Kabayel has earned his spot through strong performances and has been waiting for months for his big World Championship opportunity. Now he could be closer to that goal than ever before—though not through the hoped-for fight against Usyk, but rather because Usyk has voluntarily relinquished his title.