Bitter news for German boxing fans: Simon Zachenhuber has dropped out of the sold-out Kabayel event in Oberhausen at short notice.
Setback for the “Matador”: Simon Zachenhuber will not be able to box at Agit Kabayel’s big homecoming event in the Rudolf Weber Arena in Oberhausen on January 10. The reason is a hand injury that the 27-year-old super middleweight sustained in sparring shortly before Christmas.
Although the injury is not serious, it forces him to take a break of several weeks – too long to start at the event, which was completely sold out in front of 13,000 fans. For Zachenhuber, it is the first fight-related withdrawal of his professional career and at one of the biggest German boxing events in recent years. “That’s extremely annoying. You don’t often get a chance like this,” explained Zachenhuber disappointedly. Particularly bitter: he was scheduled to be one of the sporting fixtures on the card and could have presented himself on the big stage.
Nevertheless, the sporting prospects remain promising. Following the retirement of Terence Crawford, all world titles in the super middleweight division are vacant. Zachenhuber is ranked in the top 10 by both the WBO and the IBF – a world championship elimination fight in 2026 is considered realistic. As painful as the short-term loss is, the focus is now on the future – with the clear goal of a world championship.
Text by Robin Josten