WBC interim champion insists the mandatory challenger should be next for Oleksandr Usyk
Agit Kabayel says Oleksandr Usyk cannot ignore the WBC mandatory challenger after outlining possible future fights without mentioning him. The German heavyweight holds the interim belt and believes he deserves the next title shot.
Usyk recently discussed the closing chapter of his career and pointed to three fights he would like to pursue: Rico Verhoeven in May, the winner of Fabio Wardley vs Daniel Dubois, and a third fight with Tyson Fury. Only the Verhoeven bout is confirmed at this stage.
For Kabayel, the omission was difficult to ignore.
Speaking on Instagram, the German heavyweight said:
“My parents always told me to stay humble and respectful. But I can’t accept being ignored any longer. I deserve the title shot.”
Kabayel expanded on his frustration in an interview with RTL and sport.de, questioning why the champion would bypass the top contender in the rankings.
“I have always respected Usyk greatly for his sporting achievements and said, ‘Hey, he doesn’t shy away from a challenge and is a man of his word.’ But he’s only interested in money; everything else is of no interest to him. I’ve noticed that again very clearly now.
“How can he not name the number one in the rankings, his mandatory challenger? It’s just sad that he’d rather fight Dubois or Fury a third time, even though he’s already beaten them both twice.”
Kabayel earned his place the hard way. He beat Arslanbek Makhmudov, Frank Sanchez and Zhilei Zhang in succession to pick up the WBC interim belt and move into mandatory position.
The WBC has already ordered Usyk to face Kabayel after the planned Verhoeven fight. Whether that happens remains uncertain.
Usyk could choose to drop the belt rather than defend it, especially if negotiations move toward a bout with the winner of Wardley vs Dubois.
Heavyweight title paths are rarely straightforward, but Kabayel’s argument is simple. He worked his way into the mandatory position and now expects the champion to step into the ring and settle it there.