BoxRec

Great little shootout of a fight there. Knyba very effective in the first few rounds, but he was throwing so many punches i knew he wasn't gonna be able to keep that up. Stoppage was a bit early, but i think Kabayel had seized control of the fight and was gonna keep it. Knyba deserved a bit more of a chance though for his early success.

skanksta wrote: ↑10 Jan 2026, 17:53 Kabayel pretty much fluent English too

Knyba came to win and gave a decent effort, but Kabs too good.
He's the obvious No.2 in the world and he can sell a stadium.

Do you think he's the clear no. 2?
I think his conditioning is questionable at times, like when he fought Zhang.
I think Wardley toughs it out against him.
Either way fun fight.

Ended up a bit of a firefight, Knyba leathered Kabayel in the opener, couldnt miss and was busting him up with lefts and rights, Kabayel really looked to be struggling even after 1 round, he got it together in the 2nd started putting it on Knyba and getting to the body, in the 3rd though he wheels just came off Knyba and Kabeyel battered him, he didn't know where the shots were coming from, Kabayel looked a bit wild but Knyba was near the end, he was hurt from some right hands and again to the body, a right had him stumbling and the ref stepped in, maybe early they say but Knyba was about to get hurt more

Scouse Fight Fan wrote: ↑10 Jan 2026, 17:54

golden_labrador wrote: ↑10 Jan 2026, 17:52 a lot of Kurds in the crowd there judging by his final words

Definitely, there is a large Kurdish community in Germany. Over a million going off internet articles.

makes for a passionate crowd!

Pretty good card , good entertainment and the crowd for the main event was incredible, Germany's usually like Saudi or Japan but that was electric, Kabayel's got a serious fan base

Can’t think of any other heavyweights who have had body punching as their signature.

Dilian Whyte had the nickname but was more known for the left hook upstairs.

They saying the HW division is thriving..

But they still not fighting each other.

rd350lc wrote: ↑10 Jan 2026, 17:57

skanksta wrote: ↑10 Jan 2026, 17:53 Kabayel pretty much fluent English too

Knyba came to win and gave a decent effort, but Kabs too good.
He's the obvious No.2 in the world and he can sell a stadium.

Do you think he's the clear no. 2?
I think his conditioning is questionable at times, like when he fought Zhang.
I think Wardley toughs it out against him.
Either way fun fight.

what about Fury? Would Kabs beat him (Tyson, not Roman)

handsofstone wrote: ↑10 Jan 2026, 18:04 Pretty good card , good entertainment and the crowd for the main event was incredible, Germany's usually like Saudi or Japan but that was electric, Kabayel's got a serious fan base

The crowd were into it from the very start.

Kabayal has gotten a lot of love lately. But his activity has been shit. And he has been fighting pretty ploddyfighters.

Still given Usyk has cleaned out the top he is arguably the top or second top contender…

I think wardly is on a better run than him though. Clark, huni, Parker is better to me than mak, Frank, Zhang, knyab (hoses for corses though)…

golden_labrador wrote: ↑10 Jan 2026, 18:08

rd350lc wrote: ↑10 Jan 2026, 17:57

skanksta wrote: ↑10 Jan 2026, 17:53 Kabayel pretty much fluent English too

Knyba came to win and gave a decent effort, but Kabs too good.
He's the obvious No.2 in the world and he can sell a stadium.

Do you think he's the clear no. 2?
I think his conditioning is questionable at times, like when he fought Zhang.
I think Wardley toughs it out against him.
Either way fun fight.

what about Fury? Would Kabs beat him (Tyson, not Roman)

Fury won't be fighting Kabayel. Absolutely no chance.

keithmoonhangover wrote: ↑10 Jan 2026, 18:13

golden_labrador wrote: ↑10 Jan 2026, 18:08

rd350lc wrote: ↑10 Jan 2026, 17:57

Do you think he's the clear no. 2?
I think his conditioning is questionable at times, like when he fought Zhang.
I think Wardley toughs it out against him.
Either way fun fight.

what about Fury? Would Kabs beat him (Tyson, not Roman)

Fury won't be fighting Kabayel. Absolutely no chance.

He would if that wbc title got made real…. Half fit Fury would beat kabayal.

Haven't watched the fight but reading these posts it appears that the Kabayel that faced Smakici turned up.

Cracking coat Okolie was wearing.

The Pole gave it a good go in the first round, but towards the end of the round kabayel landed the first decent punch (I think it was a body shot) and Knyba seemed to lose something after that.

rd350lc wrote: ↑10 Jan 2026, 17:57

skanksta wrote: ↑10 Jan 2026, 17:53 Kabayel pretty much fluent English too

Knyba came to win and gave a decent effort, but Kabs too good.
He's the obvious No.2 in the world and he can sell a stadium.

Do you think he's the clear no. 2?
I think his conditioning is questionable at times, like when he fought Zhang.
I think Wardley toughs it out against him.
Either way fun fight.

He is clear No.2 on the HW league table from who he's beaten getting to 27-0.
Agree Wardley could beat him, but he's ranked what ?? no.3 or 4 ?
So might DDD, AJ, Fury, Itauma, Okolie maybe, perhaps we could go down lower...?
But he's still gotta be ranked No.2. right now

Kilburn wrote: ↑10 Jan 2026, 18:17 Cracking coat Okolie was wearing.

Yeah, but it needs to be white and matched with a cane !

It was comedy in the Herrera fight when the ref had to climb off the floor to tell someone who was still on their feet that they were in no fit state to continue.

JC wrote: ↑10 Jan 2026, 18:22 It was comedy in the Herrera fight when the ref had to climb off the floor to tell someone who was still on their feet that they were in no fit state to continue.

I was thinking the same. Glad the ref was ok, went down like a sack of spuds.

keithmoonhangover wrote: ↑10 Jan 2026, 18:13

golden_labrador wrote: ↑10 Jan 2026, 18:08

rd350lc wrote: ↑10 Jan 2026, 17:57

Do you think he's the clear no. 2?
I think his conditioning is questionable at times, like when he fought Zhang.
I think Wardley toughs it out against him.
Either way fun fight.

what about Fury? Would Kabs beat him (Tyson, not Roman)

Fury won't be fighting Kabayel. Absolutely no chance.

Fury wouldn't fight Kabs in that tiny ring, that's for sure.

skanksta wrote: ↑10 Jan 2026, 18:21

rd350lc wrote: ↑10 Jan 2026, 17:57

skanksta wrote: ↑10 Jan 2026, 17:53 Kabayel pretty much fluent English too

Knyba came to win and gave a decent effort, but Kabs too good.
He's the obvious No.2 in the world and he can sell a stadium.

Do you think he's the clear no. 2?
I think his conditioning is questionable at times, like when he fought Zhang.
I think Wardley toughs it out against him.
Either way fun fight.

He is clear No.2 on the HW league table from who he's beaten getting to 27-0.
Agree Wardley could beat him, but he's ranked what ?? no.3 or 4 ?
So might DDD, AJ, Fury, Itauma, Okolie maybe, perhaps we could go down lower...?
But he's still gotta be ranked No.2. right now

I wouldn't say he is the clear no.2. Wardley definitely has a claim. Parker arguably has a claim to being above Kabayel too.

Yeah Parker should honestly still be recognized by US as #2 or certainly no worse than #3. The suspension against him is kinda nonsense.

I know it was a warm up, but Kabayel was too heavy, he needs to be slicker than that at a higher level

Hey I'm glad he was a little off. It made it more fun. I didn't really expect much out of this fight, but it was a pretty wild little fight while it lasted. A hype crowd too. Polish fans are always loud and boisterous and it seems Kabayel has a fan base to match.

Kilburn wrote: ↑10 Jan 2026, 18:27

JC wrote: ↑10 Jan 2026, 18:22 It was comedy in the Herrera fight when the ref had to climb off the floor to tell someone who was still on their feet that they were in no fit state to continue.

I was thinking the same. Glad the ref was ok, went down like a sack of spuds.

He looked about 80 years old as well, poor fella.