Agit Kabayel vs. Damian Knyba | DAZN - 10 January 2026

[KiwiRider]

It's his management and promotion.

2nd best heavyweight in the world.
Articulate.
Exciting action packed fights.
On a run of big stoppages.
Undefeated.

Yeah, he is doing everything asked from him, and can't get a decent fight.

[Ruthless-RKO]

I thought Turki would back him more.

Well I do believe Riyadh Season are backing this event. But like really behind him.

He’s in exciting fights too.

[gilgamesh]

Well now that we know that Usyk considers Fury to be a "closed chapter" then I think it's safe to say that Agit Kabayel will remain the most worthy contender following Usyk's bout with the Parker/Wardley winner.

Itauma may begin to give him a run for his money if he stays particularly active, but as is he's still got some catching up to do.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Agit Kabayel set for January bout with 'boxing back in Germany'

allegedly has confirmed that one of the sport’s leading heavyweight contenders, Agit Kabayel, will return to action in Germany on January 10.

Kabayel will defend his WBC interim title, and although an opponent has not been confirmed, he will box at the Rudolf Weber Arena in Oberhausen.

Kabayel’s record is 26-0 (18 KOs) and the 6ft 3ins 33-year-old is in-form and coming off three high-profile wins over Arslanbek Makhmudov, Frank Sanchez, and Zhilei Zhang.

Makhmudov had been unbeaten in 18 fights and Sanchez in 24, but they were defeated in four and seven rounds respectively, while Zhang was stopped in six.

On a short promotional video on Queensberry Promotions’ social channels, Warren said: “Boxing’s back in Germany.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

Agit Kabayel to Return To Ring On Jan. 10 In Germany

Agit Kabayel’s next title fight will be in front of his hometown fans.

The Ring’s No. 3-ranked heavyweight and current WBC interim champion will return to the ring on January 10 at Rudolf Weber-Arena in Oberhausen, Germany, his homeland, Queensberry Promotions announced on its X account.

His opponent has not been determined.

The 33-year-old has been on an impressive run. His presence as a legitimate top-level heavyweight began in 2023, when he scored an upset by stopping then-unbeaten contender Arslanbek Makhmudov (21-2, 19 KOs) in the fourth round.

He also was the underdog in his following contest, against Frank Sanchez (25-1, 18 KOs), in May of last year. The Cuban attempted to box and move but he couldn't withstand the pressure of Kabayel (26-0, 18 KOs), resulting in a seventh-round stoppage.

His run continued against Zhilei Zhang (27-3-1, 22 KOs) as he became the first man to stop the durable Chinese contender on February 22 at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, doing so in the sixth round.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Press Release

• DAZN and Queensberry bring big boxing nights back to Germany: Agit Kabayel, WBC Interim World Champion and one of the top 5 heavyweight fighters in the world, defends his title in his home country, live only on DAZN from the Rudolf-Weber-Arena in Oberhausen

• Kabayel leads German boxing back onto the big stage, writing the next chapter in the rich tradition of German heavyweight boxing in his home region of the Ruhrgebiet.

• It’s the biggest boxing event on German soil since the end of the Klitschko era: on January 10, 2026, a new era of German boxing begins, live on DAZN.

• With the fight in Oberhausen, DAZN underlines its role as the global home of boxing, and this is only the beginning: DAZN and Kabayel share a vision to bring boxing back into the spotlight in Germany.

• The biggest fights belong to DAZN: only DAZN showcases the world’s best boxing events featuring top stars such as Oleksandr Usyk, Tyson Fury, Agit Kabayel, Joseph Parker and many more, as well as the world’s leading MMA organizations including the UFC, PFL, Rajadamnern World Series and King of Kings all in one place, only on DAZN.

It’s the news boxing fans in Germany have been waiting for: DAZN together with Queensberry Promotions are bringing big fight nights back! German heavyweight sensation Agit Kabayel returns home to the Ruhr region on 10 January 2026 live and exclusive on DAZN. When the WBC Interim World Champion steps into the ring at the Rudolf-Weber-Arena in Oberhausen, more than just a title will be on the line, together with DAZN, he ushers in a new era of German boxing.

Only DAZN will broadcast this historic moment live to fans around the world exclusively and with everything that makes a great fight: intensity, emotion and world-class boxing at the highest level. In front of his home crowd, Kabayel aims to prove that he’s ready for the biggest stage of all, the leap to the very top of the heavyweight division.

Agit Kabayel, WBC Interim Heavyweigt Champion, says: “I would like to thank DAZN for their trust and I can hardly wait to finally fight in front of my fans in Germany again. My goal is clear: to bring the world championship belt back to Germany.”

Alice Mascia, CEO DACH & Belgium at DAZN, says: “This fight is more than a sporting event – it’s a statement. DAZN is bringing the golden era of boxing back to Germany. With Agit Kabayel’s homecoming, we’re reviving the magic of big fight nights and the excitement of an entire sport – right where it belongs. And by doing so, we’re uniting long-time boxing fans with a new generation discovering the thrill of the sport.”

allegedly, Chairman & Founder of Queensberry Promotions, says: “This is a huge moment for Queensberry, DAZN and most importantly German boxing fans. Boxing has a fantastic history in Germany and the country has produced some unbelievable champions throughout the years. Our aim at Queensberry is now to bring the biggest nights in boxing back to Germany, and what better way to start things off with one of the best heavyweights on the planet, Agit Kabayel headlining. The card is going to be full of German talent, and on the 10th JanuaryOberhausen is going to see something really special.”

[londonwar]

what are the options for an opponent? probably not good.

if the big contenders cant be signed id say Ibeh, Franklin, Yoka, or Jalolov would be fun. Yoka and Jalolov might freeze of course. Franklin would definately be an cautious potential distance fight but still 60/40 in favour of Kab fighting at home. Ibeh of course would be an explosive affair with Kab obvious favourite.

what we dont want is Chisora again or Hrgovic

[Ruthless-RKO]

I take it he's defending the interim wbc belt.

So it's gotta be top 15.

Current WBC Heavyweight Rankings

1 | Lawrence Okolie | GB | Silver
2 | Daniel Dubois | GB |
3 | Anthony Joshua | GB |
4 | Moses Itauma | GB | COMM *CBP/P
5 | Filip Hrgovic | Croatia |
6 | Efe Ajagba | Nigeria/US |
7 | Martin Bakole | Congo/GB |
8 | Frank Sanchez | Cuba |
9 | Zhilei Zhang | China |
10 | Bakhodir Jalolov | Uzbekistan |
11 | Richard Torrez Jr | US | NABF
12 | Guido Vianello | Italy | *CBP/P
13 | Deontay Wilder | US |
14 | Dereck Chisora | GB |
15 | Jared Anderson | US |
---------------

Still plenty of notice to get a decent name.

[gilgamesh]

I take it he's defending the interim wbc belt.

So it's gotta be top 15.

Current WBC Heavyweight Rankings

1 | Lawrence Okolie | GB | Silver
2 | Daniel Dubois | GB |
3 | Anthony Joshua | GB |
4 | Moses Itauma | GB | COMM *CBP/P
5 | Filip Hrgovic | Croatia |
6 | Efe Ajagba | Nigeria/US |
7 | Martin Bakole | Congo/GB |
8 | Frank Sanchez | Cuba |
9 | Zhilei Zhang | China |
10 | Bakhodir Jalolov | Uzbekistan |
11 | Richard Torrez Jr | US | NABF
12 | Guido Vianello | Italy | *CBP/P
13 | Deontay Wilder | US |
14 | Dereck Chisora | GB |
15 | Jared Anderson | US |
---------------

Still plenty of notice to get a decent name.

So the Parker/Wardley winner wouldn't even be ranked by the WBC, I assume because they didn't pay them a fee?

Let them strip him. Who gives a f*ck. Until he retires or is beaten, he's the Undisputed Champion. He's made 2 defenses of the Undisputed title already, and may well keep it going.

Winning a vacant belt that a true Champion didn't deserve to be stripped of is probably one of the weakest ways to pick up a World Title in Boxing.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Parker and Wardley are the interim world champions for WBO and WBA.

So WBC won’t rank them

[Ruthless-RKO]

Billy Nelson seems to think it will be Dubois..

[joshj909]

Billy Nelson seems to think it will be Dubois..

It would technically be Dubois' third shot at a new belt in three fights. Fourth in 6 fights. He's won one of them. Crazy if that happens but Kabayel has called out Dubois. It's still probably one of the best fights out there available to Kabayel. What happened to the nobody this was supposed to be against?

[londonwar]

would he lose his interim bauble if he fought someone not ranked? i cant see why?

[Ruthless-RKO]

would he lose his interim bauble if he fought someone not ranked? i cant see why?

You talking about Dubois?

WBC have two months to magically insert him. Can’t see why they won’t.

[Ruthless-RKO]

AGIT KABAYEL CALLS OUT DANIEL DUBOIS IN SEARCH FOR OPPONENT JAN. 10 IN GERMANY

Agit Kabayel cannot wait to fight in Germany for the first time in almost three years.

The unbeaten German heavyweight contender’s return to the ring was announced last week by allegedly’s Queensberry Promotions for January 10 at Rudolf Weber Arena in Oberhausen. The Ring’s third-ranked contender doesn’t have an opponent, but Kabayel obviously isn’t seeking someone just to keep the WBC interim champion busy based on what he suggested following Fabio Wardley’s 11th-round stoppage of Joseph Parker on Saturday night at O2 Arena in London.

“I’m happy for this,” Kabayel told The Ring. “You know, I [have] a homecoming fight. All fans [in Germany] wait for this fight. But the problem – we have no opponent, you know? We wait for the good opponent. I heard Daniel [Dubois] have also no opponent in the UK. Why not Kabayel versus Daniel? I heard he have no opponent. I’m ready for everyone. You know, I am sportman. I hate trash talk. The people say this is a good fight for the fans or no, it’s not a good fight, Kabayel versus Daniel. I think so.”

Like Kabayel (26-0, 18 KOs), Dubois is represented by Queensberry Promotions. It isn’t clear, however, if London’s Dubois (22-3, 21 KOs) would consider such a dangerous assignment in the former IBF champion’s return early in 2026 from a fifth-round knockout loss to undisputed champ Oleksandr Usyk in their rematch July 19 at Wembley Stadium in London.

Dubois, 28, would be a fourth straight formidable foe for Kabayel, who has developed into one of boxing’s best heavyweights since December 2023.

The 33-year-old Kabayel knocked out Russia’s Arslanbek Makhmudov in the fourth round 22 months ago. He dropped a then-undefeated Makhmudov (21-2, 19 KOs) three times, all with body blows, until their scheduled 10-rounder was stopped.

Kabayel’s transformative run continued with knockouts of unbeaten Cuban contender Frank Sanchez (25-1, 18 KOs) and heavy-handed Chinese southpaw Zhilei Zhang (27-3-1, 22 KOs). He hasn’t fought in the eight months since he knocked out Zhang with a body shot in the sixth round February 22.

Kabayel’s victories over Makhmudov, Sanchez and Zhang all took place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He hasn’t boxed in Germany since March 2023, when he beat Croatia’s Agron Smakici (21-3, 19 KOs) by third-round technical knockout at RuhrCongress in Bochum.

Dubois, ranked fourth by The Ring, has lost only to Ukraine’s Usyk (twice) and British rival Joe Joyce, all by knockout.

[Ruthless-RKO]

They’re all coming out now

[Ruthless-RKO]

Dubois is now ranked by the WBC

[joshj909]

Dubois is now ranked by the WBC

Coming off a loss, losing his belt 3 months ago, they rank him at #3. This has to be at the result if Kabayel. Okolie, Joshua and Itauma also ranked highly which are the other guys he's been linked to fight.

[gregregegg]

I personally think kabayal has gone from very under rated to very over rated…

Honestly, AJ should roll the dice here if he believes there is no chance at fury (or wilder).

Be a huge statement comeback if he won, and he would be a decent chance.

Kabayals activity is dreadful. And his streak that has got him to amazing status is a bit questionable to me…

It’s also a path to wbc the only belt he never had…

[Ruthless-RKO]

Agit Kabayel to fight Damian Knyba, and not Daniel Dubois, on January 10

It is being reported in Germany that leading heavyweight contender Agit Kabayel will take on unbeaten Pole, Damian Knyba, on January 10 at the Rudolf Weber Arena in Oberhausen.

The contest, according to newspaper BILD, will be formally announced on Wednesday this week. It was also reported that Daniel Dubois has been in discussions to take on Kabayel, 26-0 (18 KOs), but terms ultimately could not be agreed.

Knyba, 17-0 (11 KOs), has since 2022 fought predominantly in America after signing with Top Rank. In the latest WBC heavyweight rankings, the 29-year-old was as low as 38th whereas Kabayel holds the interim championship.

Knyba has won his last four bouts by stoppage but is yet to step into world class waters. Last month he halted Joey Dawejko in seven rounds.

The 33-year-old Kabayel is widely regarded as deserving of a shot at world champion Oleksandr Usyk after posting impressive inside-schedule victories over Arslanbek Makhmudov, Frank Sanchez and Zhilei Zhang in consecutive bouts. His contest against Knyba, who was among Zhang's sparring partners when he prepared for Kabayel in February, will be his first in Germany since 2023.

[JamesPhilips]

Agit Kabayel to fight Damian Knyba, and not Daniel Dubois, on January 10

It is being reported in Germany that leading heavyweight contender Agit Kabayel will take on unbeaten Pole, Damian Knyba, on January 10 at the Rudolf Weber Arena in Oberhausen.

The contest, according to newspaper BILD, will be formally announced on Wednesday this week. It was also reported that Daniel Dubois has been in discussions to take on Kabayel, 26-0 (18 KOs), but terms ultimately could not be agreed.

Knyba, 17-0 (11 KOs), has since 2022 fought predominantly in America after signing with Top Rank. In the latest WBC heavyweight rankings, the 29-year-old was as low as 38th whereas Kabayel holds the interim championship.

Knyba has won his last four bouts by stoppage but is yet to step into world class waters. Last month he halted Joey Dawejko in seven rounds.

The 33-year-old Kabayel is widely regarded as deserving of a shot at world champion Oleksandr Usyk after posting impressive inside-schedule victories over Arslanbek Makhmudov, Frank Sanchez and Zhilei Zhang in consecutive bouts. His contest against Knyba, who was among Zhang's sparring partners when he prepared for Kabayel in February, will be his first in Germany since 2023.

Not a bad fight….. Not sure Knyba is that great though….

[stujones]

I personally think kabayal has gone from very under rated to very over rated…

Honestly, AJ should roll the dice here if he believes there is no chance at fury (or wilder).

Be a huge statement comeback if he won, and he would be a decent chance.

Kabayals activity is dreadful. And his streak that has got him to amazing status is a bit questionable to me…

It’s also a path to wbc the only belt he never had…

I know exactly what you are saying I had/have similar views on the Joe Parker renaissance - The combined age of Zhang and Wilder must have been 80 - Wilder was never that good and is now shot to shit and Zhang doesn't have stamina. The less said about Bakole's shape the better.

I am not convinced this bulked up Parker beats the Parker who fought Andy Ruiz etc. But the lack of alternatives means his run is ridiculously overrated.

[gregregegg]

I personally think kabayal has gone from very under rated to very over rated…

Honestly, AJ should roll the dice here if he believes there is no chance at fury (or wilder).

Be a huge statement comeback if he won, and he would be a decent chance.

Kabayals activity is dreadful. And his streak that has got him to amazing status is a bit questionable to me…

It’s also a path to wbc the only belt he never had…

I know exactly what you are saying I had/have similar views on the Joe Parker renaissance - The combined age of Zhang and Wilder must have been 80 - Wilder was never that good and is now shot to shit and Zhang doesn't have stamina. The less said about Bakole's shape the better.

I am not convinced this bulked up Parker beats the Parker who fought Andy Ruiz etc. But the lack of alternatives means his run is ridiculously overrated.

Yea, it’s always more likely the opponents have got a lot worse than the fighter has got a lot better…

[londonwar]

yeah, its not an exciting match up at all.

Kynba is pretty much another Kem Linqvist.
a 17-0 record with probably Joey D as his biggest name and no Ko highlights whatsoever.

its shocking that Hysa is ranked higher but thats probably down to his bullying of the old man Williams to pad his disgraceful record with.

despite all this Kabayel has to stop Kynba impressively in order to stake his claims for a title shot. lets not forget his long unbeaten run as linear EBU champion came on the back of a conveyor belt of decent but pedestrian, no dramas, points wins at home.

[Ruthless-RKO]