BoxRec

gilgamesh wrote: ↑24 May 2026, 05:37

DrDuke wrote: ↑24 May 2026, 05:31

gilgamesh wrote: ↑24 May 2026, 05:21

Usyk was fit against Rico.

Why then he was the fattest ever and didn't move like always?

Because he was fighting a big, strong man who wasn't allowing him to.

Fighters that aren't in shape don't find a come from behind 11th round TKO when they need it because their conditioning isn't there. Usyk found it, and he found it because he was in shape. It wouldn't have been possible otherwise.

If Usyk is in bad shape, that doesn't mean, that he can do absolutely nothing. He could use his feet more and he could jab more, if he was lighter. Rico is a good fighter, but far from perfect as a boxer. Rico wasn't able to use his physique properly, he lacked jabbing and was putting his head too low and straight during his attacks, what Usyk was finally able to catch in the 11th round, while he could do it much earlier, if he was fit.

joshj909 wrote: ↑24 May 2026, 05:27

Loynesy wrote: ↑24 May 2026, 05:06 I’m loving the idea of Frank suing the WBC. Given they are legally domiciled in Mexico, so any claim would have to be launched there, perhaps he’s taken detailed Mexican litigation advice but if he has, I will go to my next board meeting in a sombrero and I will hire a mariachi band.

Incidentally, I do think it’s a great fight and hope it happens.

Wouldn't it be done through the Court for the Arbitration of Sport which is international?

Nope - that’s only used for a contractual claim that has a specific arbitration clause in it. Frank knows he is talking nonsense

The WBC is deliberately not a party to the CAS unlike other global sports organisations. Do we think the late Jose would have had any restrictions on him?

Loynesy wrote: ↑24 May 2026, 07:04 The WBC is deliberately not a party to the CAS unlike other global sports organisations. Do we think the late Jose would have had any restrictions on him?

WBC Legal Counsel Robert J.B. Lenhardt commented, “The WBC Rules provide that all parties, including any boxer, promoter, manager or other person who participates in the activities or events of the WBC, by doing so, agrees that their exclusive remedies in any dispute against the WBC are administrative remedies, further subject to mediation and mandatory arbitration before the Court of Arbitration for Sport."

https://www.BS.com/articles/ju ... bc-lawsuit

Also relating to Dillian Whyte who sued the WBC through CAS. He dropped his case when WBC conveniently changed their mind...
https://jusmundi.com/fr/document/other/ ... ember-2021

Agit is the interim WBC champion and next in line. Usyk now either has to fight him or vacate, it’s as simple as that.

Queensberry are more than ready to make the fight.

USYK, KABAYEL EAGER TO SQUARE OFF LATER THIS YEAR

It didn’t take long for Oleksandr Usyk to come face to face with his next challenge after he stopped Rico Verhoeven.

After Usyk’s 11th-round stoppage victory to retain his Ring and WBC belts on Saturday in the main event of “Glory in Giza” in Egypt, Agit Kabayel was in the ring and called for a shot at the unified heavyweight champion next.

Usyk responded by saying he was ready to face the undefeated German heavyweight next.

“I’ve waited so long for this situation,” Kabayel said. “I’m ready. I think Germany is ready for the fight. I know many Ukrainian people live in Germany. Let’s do it in Germany in a stadium. I think all the fans in boxing want this fight. Let’s do it, Usyk.”

Said Usyk: “Let’s do it. No problem. I’m ready.”

Kabayel (27-0, 19 KOs) is The Ring’s No. 2 heavyweight and the No. 1 contender for Usyk’s WBC heavyweight title. Kabayel’s co-promoter, Spencer Brown, said the fight is going to be ordered by the WBC and will be next. He added that he hoped the fight would take place at the end of September or October in Germany.

“There can only be one fight,” Brown said in the post-fight interview. “Both agreed to it. Let’s get it on.”

Turki Alalshikh hopes to make Usyk (25-0, 16 KOs) versus Kabayel at a stadium in Germany.

Boxing has commonly been billed as the theater of the unexpected, and Usyk, The Ring’s No. 2 fighter pound-for-pound, nearly found himself on the wrong end of one of the biggest upsets in sports history. Two of the judges, Manuel Oliver Palomo and Fabian Guggenheim, had the bout 95-95, while Pasquale Procopio had Verhoeven ahead 96-94 heading into the 11th.

With the fight hanging in the balance, Usyk’s championship mettle shone through, as he dropped Verhoeven with a right uppercut with just over 20 seconds left in the 11th. Verhoeven rose to his feet on wobbly legs and walked unsteadily to his corner after spitting out his mouthpiece.

Knowing the end of the round was near, Usyk pressed the action with Verhoeven’s back to the corner. As the Ukrainian flurried, referee Mark Lyson stopped the fight right as the bell rang.

Verhoeven (1-1, 1 KO), who was 66-10 with 21 KOs as a kickboxer and reigned as the Glory Kickboxing heavyweight champion from 2013-25, said on social media that he filed an official protest of the result.

Kabayel: Usyk will return better; I'm ready for my shot

Agit Kabayel was sitting front and center as an interested observer Saturday at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, watching Oleksandr Usyk survive a scare by dramatically stopping novice boxer Rico Verhoeven.

Kabayel, the WBC interim heavyweight champion and The Ring’s No. 2-rated contender, has been clamoring for a crack at the Ukrainian in recent months, and pushed his agenda into overdrive by entering the ring after the fight concluded to call for a clash in Germany.

“Let’s do it. No problem,” Usyk said. “I’m ready.”

Usyk meanwhile, still had Verhoeven in front of him looking for a well-earned rematch.

As Kabayel (27-0, 19 KOs) exited the venue, he elaborated on his intention to challenge The Ring, IBF, WBA and WBC champion Usyk (26-0, 15 KOs).

“I am the No. 1 contender, and have waited so long for the situation. I'm ready for the next big challenge,” Kabayel told reporters. “He can't be talking about a rematch. First Kabayel. The fight was good. I think Rico was up by one round, but it is what it is. I am not a referee.”

Usyk, down 96-94 on one scorecard and tied 95-95 on the others, knocked down Verhoeven with 22 seconds left the 11th round and piled on the pressure soon after to prompt referee Mark Lyson to controversially stop the fight at the 2:59 mark with Verhoeven still standing and defending himself.

Usyk, who turns 40 in January, looked average for most of the fight and was fortunate to escape victorious.

“After this performance, I think he will come back and do better. I think he's also not happy with his performance,” the unbeaten German continued.

“I go into every fight confident. I focus on myself. I'll be ready. I was born ready for the fight. Let's do it.”

Kabayel’s stock has skyrocketed over the last three years with impressive stoppage wins that have aged well against Frank Sanchez, Zhilei Zhang and Arslanbek Makhmudov.

The 33-year-old was last in action on January 10, crushing Damian Knyba inside three rounds in front of a raucous crowd in Oberhausen, Germany.

Why is Warren making demands, he'll do what Turki tells him to do.

Twinkle Toes wrote: ↑25 May 2026, 14:34 Why is Warren making demands, he'll do what Turki tells him to do.

Not anymore. Mind you when money is involved.. they all bow down.

Warren Pushing For Kabayel To Get Overdue Shot At Usyk Next

Frank~Warren is determined to secure Agit Kabayel the next shot at Oleksandr Usyk after seeing the unified heavyweight champion dig deep to stop Rico Verhoeven on Saturday night.

Kabayel (27-0, 19 KOs) has held the WBC interim title since February 2025, when he got off the floor in the fifth round to stop China’s Zhilei Zhang a round later. Germany’s Kabayel, The Ring’s No. 2 contender, has been forced to sit and wait while Usyk (25-0, 16 KOs), a two-time fully undisputed heavyweight champ, first took the IBF belt from Daniel Dubois and then successfully defended The Ring and WBC titles against Verhoeven in their massive crossover clash.

Kabayel may not have been active, but he hasn’t wasted his time. He has solidified his relationship with Warren’s Queensberry Promotions and remained visible. Approximately 12,000 fans turned out at Oberhausen’s Rudolf Weber-Arena on January 10 for Kabayel’s one-sided homecoming win over previously undefeated Polish contender Damian Knyba.

The 33-year-old Kabayel was at ringside in Giza, Egypt to see Usyk reach down into his bag of tricks and stop an inspired Verhoeven in the 11th round of their enthralling battle. He and Warren have patiently let the Ukrainian plot his own course, but are now tired of waiting.

“Whatever happens, they’re talking about maybe doing a rematch with Usyk and Rico. We're not going to stand for that,” Warren told Sky Sports. “You know, Usyk’s been there long enough and [Kabayel] wants his moment. And that’s what we’ll be pushing for with WBC and hopefully we get it over the line and do that sometime in the autumn.”

Kabayel has been ready to test himself against Usyk for some time, but will be even more confident of ending the 39-year-old’s champion’s reign after seeing the way he struggled to control Verhoeven, an outstanding kickboxer but a boxing novice.

Warren believes Kabayel has more than earned his opportunity and will now aim to make sure that he is at the front of the queue when Usyk decides on his next move.

“He’s a very, very good fighter,” Warren said. “He’s got great hand speed, skills. People have seen his fight with Zhang. He’s beaten everybody he’s had put in front of him and he’s a real, real class act. He’s a lovely guy and he can fight and he deserves to be in the number one spot.”

Lets say Agit gets the Usyk fight , with father time getting involved theres a good chance he beats him, so fast forward , a year or so Agit has Usyks belts DD has his belt Moses is on the outside with his nose pressed against the glass.

What happens , i don't think Frank would have any trouble making the DD ---Agit fight ,,, BUT ,,, would he throw moses in with Agit or have Moses spend a few years with more gimmee fights , in other words who's going to be Franks Golden boy in the future . Agit --- Moses --- or has a rank outsider DD

I think Usyk can beat Kabayel still.

gilgamesh wrote: ↑25 May 2026, 21:59 I think Usyk can beat Kabayel still.

Agit the feelin' it'll be close

golden_labrador wrote: ↑26 May 2026, 05:59

gilgamesh wrote: ↑25 May 2026, 21:59 I think Usyk can beat Kabayel still.

Agit the feelin' it'll be close

Good one.

Usyk was overweight and very sluggish for his Rico fight, had one proper pro boxing fight novice Rico up by two points before the premature stoppage by the ref (mind you the ref saved him beforehand from being stopped with all the gumshield malarkey) but the knock down would have evened it up going into the last. Usyk defensive skills vastly overrated, he's always been easy to hit.

Expect Usyk to stop Kabayal but could have trouble with the body shots from Kabayal beforehand.

IRONFIST wrote: ↑26 May 2026, 07:53

golden_labrador wrote: ↑26 May 2026, 05:59

gilgamesh wrote: ↑25 May 2026, 21:59 I think Usyk can beat Kabayel still.

Agit the feelin' it'll be close

Good one.

Usyk was overweight and very sluggish for his Rico fight, had one proper pro boxing fight novice Rico up by two points before the premature stoppage by the ref (mind you the ref saved him beforehand from being stopped with all the gumshield malarkey) but the knock down would have evened it up going into the last. Usyk defensive skills vastly overrated, he's always been easy to hit.

Expect Usyk to stop Kabayal but could have trouble with the body shots from Kabayal beforehand.

Usyk's chin must be Eubank Sr levels. I don't think he's been knocked over even. That's maybe not spoken about so much because of how good he is in most other respects. I reckon Zhang would have managed to knock him over maybe, through sheer physics (but not won obviously).

golden_labrador wrote: ↑26 May 2026, 08:01

IRONFIST wrote: ↑26 May 2026, 07:53

golden_labrador wrote: ↑26 May 2026, 05:59

Agit the feelin' it'll be close

Good one.

Usyk was overweight and very sluggish for his Rico fight, had one proper pro boxing fight novice Rico up by two points before the premature stoppage by the ref (mind you the ref saved him beforehand from being stopped with all the gumshield malarkey) but the knock down would have evened it up going into the last. Usyk defensive skills vastly overrated, he's always been easy to hit.

Expect Usyk to stop Kabayal but could have trouble with the body shots from Kabayal beforehand.

Usyk's chin must be Eubank Sr levels. I don't think he's been knocked over even. That's maybe not spoken about so much because of how good he is in most other respects. I reckon Zhang would have managed to knock him over maybe, through sheer physics (but not won obviously).

Yeah very good chin, not sure if it's as good as Oliver McCall's though. Would've been interesting to see if Usyk could take a few bombs flush from a peak Wilder...The body is the way to stop Usyk, Kabayal should test him there

IRONFIST wrote: ↑26 May 2026, 08:12

golden_labrador wrote: ↑26 May 2026, 08:01

IRONFIST wrote: ↑26 May 2026, 07:53

Good one.

Usyk was overweight and very sluggish for his Rico fight, had one proper pro boxing fight novice Rico up by two points before the premature stoppage by the ref (mind you the ref saved him beforehand from being stopped with all the gumshield malarkey) but the knock down would have evened it up going into the last. Usyk defensive skills vastly overrated, he's always been easy to hit.

Expect Usyk to stop Kabayal but could have trouble with the body shots from Kabayal beforehand.

Usyk's chin must be Eubank Sr levels. I don't think he's been knocked over even. That's maybe not spoken about so much because of how good he is in most other respects. I reckon Zhang would have managed to knock him over maybe, through sheer physics (but not won obviously).

Yeah very good chin, not sure if it's as good as Oliver McCall's though. Would've been interesting to see if Usyk could take a few bombs flush from a peak Wilder...The body is the way to stop Usyk, Kabayal should test him there

I think he was dropped (or counted) twice in amateurs. Once against Beterbiev

joshj909 wrote: ↑26 May 2026, 08:28

IRONFIST wrote: ↑26 May 2026, 08:12

golden_labrador wrote: ↑26 May 2026, 08:01

Usyk's chin must be Eubank Sr levels. I don't think he's been knocked over even. That's maybe not spoken about so much because of how good he is in most other respects. I reckon Zhang would have managed to knock him over maybe, through sheer physics (but not won obviously).

Yeah very good chin, not sure if it's as good as Oliver McCall's though. Would've been interesting to see if Usyk could take a few bombs flush from a peak Wilder...The body is the way to stop Usyk, Kabayal should test him there

I think he was dropped (or counted) twice in amateurs. Once against Beterbiev

yep, Usyk took a very brief knee and a standing eight count after a nasty body shot from Bert.

not sure if Usyk was ever put flat on his back from a headshot, which is crazy impressive

golden_labrador wrote: ↑26 May 2026, 10:38

joshj909 wrote: ↑26 May 2026, 08:28

IRONFIST wrote: ↑26 May 2026, 08:12

Yeah very good chin, not sure if it's as good as Oliver McCall's though. Would've been interesting to see if Usyk could take a few bombs flush from a peak Wilder...The body is the way to stop Usyk, Kabayal should test him there

I think he was dropped (or counted) twice in amateurs. Once against Beterbiev

yep, Usyk took a very brief knee and a standing eight count after a nasty body shot from Bert.

not sure if Usyk was ever put flat on his back from a headshot, which is crazy impressive

His movement and stamina must help. Being able to be somewhat evasive throughout the fight is one of the best defenses someone can have. Being static and exhausted is a sure way of ending up on your back. That's why I find Wach and Allen's chins impressive because they're not known for footwork, however, being in defence mode also helps.

KABAYEL: USYK SHOWED HIS AGE VS. ‘UNORTHODOX’ VERHOEVEN

Oleksandr Usyk struggled far more than most expected in his 11th-round stoppage of Rico Verhoeven to retain his Ring and WBC heavyweight titles on Saturday in the main event of “Glory in Giza” in Egypt.

Agit Kabayel, who will likely be Usyk’s next opponent, was ringside as a shot at the 39-year-old unified heavyweight champion nearly slipped from his grasp. Kabayel believes Usyk’s performance was a product of his age and the difficulty preparing for Verhoeven, who was boxing for just the second time.
Verhoeven was 66-10 with 21 KOs as a kickboxer and reigned as the Glory Kickboxing heavyweight champion from 2013 to 2025.

“I think he is old,” Kabayel said on "Inside The Ring" Monday. “He's 39 years old, but I think Rico had a very unorthodox style. This was hard for Usyk. You can’t watch the fights from Rico. He didn’t understand what the plan was from Rico.

“I think this is why the situation was different for Usyk. When he fights with other guys, he has so many fights he can watch and he can make a game plan for the fights. I think that was a problem for Usyk.”

Heading into the 11th round, Verhoeven led 96-94 on judge Pasquale Procopio’s scorecard, while judges Manuel Oliver Palomo and Fabian Guggenheim both had it 95-95. With 25 seconds left in the round, Usyk dropped Verhoeven with a right uppercut.
Verhoeven, who was fighting in just his second professional boxing match, rose on unsteady legs. After having his mouthpiece put back in by his corner, he was swarmed by Usyk and as the bell was about to ring to end the round, referee Mark Lyson stopped the fight.

After the fight, Usyk (25-0, 16 KOs), The Ring’s No. 2 pound-for-pound fighter, and Kabayel (27-0, 19 KOs), The Ring’s No. 2-ranked heavyweight, came face to face and expressed their willingness to fight each other next.

Kabayel last fought on January 10, stopping Damian Knyba in the third round in Germany. The 33-year-old from Leverkusen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany, has won his last six fights by stoppage, including a sixth-round knockout of Zhilei Zhang and a seventh-round knockout of Frank Sanchez, who is The Ring’s No. 7-ranked heavyweight.

Kabayel hopes a potential fight against the Ukrainian southpaw can land in his home country. Former heavyweight champions Wladimir Klitschko and Vitali Klitschko, who are also from Ukraine, like Usyk, fought the majority of their careers in Germany.

“I think the best place [is to] fight in Düsseldorf in the stadium,” Kabayel said. “I think we have a place for 70,000 people. We have a lot of Ukrainian people here. We also have a very big Kurdish community here — we support a lot, but also the German people support me. I think you will never hear this atmosphere in the arena when you come.

“In Germany, my last fight, we sold out the arena in four or five days. All the people from the UK, people working in boxing for 20 or 30 years, said to us, 'We’ve never seen an atmosphere like this.’ When the fight's in Germany with Usyk, you come to Germany, you will see this, and I promise you, you will not forget this in your life.”

WBC order for Oleksandr Usyk-Agit Kabayel to be next remains

Despite the unexpected turn of events that transpired in three-belt heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk’s dramatic 11th-round TKO of massive underdog Rico Verhoeven Saturday in Egypt, WBC interim beltholder Agit Kabayel remains next in line for the unbeaten champion.

“Kabayel versus Usyk is next,” WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman told Boxing Scene Tuesday.

Kabayel, 27-0 (19 KOs), appeared in the ring at Saturday night’s post-fight interviews at the Pyramids of Giza, and Saudi Arabia boxing financier Turki Alalshikh said he plans to stage Usyk-Kabayel at a soccer stadium in Kabayel’s native Germany.

Peter Fury has hit back at claims that Oleksandr Usyk did not train properly for Rico Verhoeven

Kabayel rose to pole position by going 3-0 with three knockouts in Saudi Arabia, impressing Alalshikh and the boxing masses by knocking out both Frank Sanchez (for the Cuban's only loss) and China's Zhilei Zhang within a nine-month stretch. Kabayel returned to the ring in January to stop Damian Knyba in three rounds. Frank*Warren, Kabayel’s promoter, has implored the WBC to either force Usyk to defend his belt or to strip him.

Sulaiman said he’d prefer not to threaten the 39-year-old two-division undisputed champion from Ukraine who fought through a heavy heart Saturday as Russian bombing of Ukraine sent Usyk’s family to shelters.

Verhoeven, a pro kickboxer, turned in a sensational showing, confounding the aging Usyk and taking narrow scorecards into the 11th, when Usyk first knocked down, then stopped Verhoeven.

Referee Mark Lyson waved the fight over after the bell closing the 11th rang, eliciting outrage from many who were watching.

“Live, at the heat of the moment, [the stoppage] seemed to be early,” Sulaiman said. “Rico was even winning the fight at some point.

“After looking at the replays [and] speaking with [Lyson] and with a cooler state of mind, I’m certain it was a correct stoppage. However, I fully understand those who didn’t like it.”

The dispute aroused some to call for an immediate rematch, but Alalshikh said that can be rectified by staging an Usyk-Verhoeven fight in Holland after Usyk-Kabayel.

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑27 May 2026, 12:29 WBC order for Oleksandr Usyk-Agit Kabayel to be next remains

Despite the unexpected turn of events that transpired in three-belt heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk’s dramatic 11th-round TKO of massive underdog Rico Verhoeven Saturday in Egypt, WBC interim beltholder Agit Kabayel remains next in line for the unbeaten champion.

“Kabayel versus Usyk is next,” WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman told Boxing Scene Tuesday.
...

Finally something good from WBC.

Oleksandr Usyk must defend WBC heavyweight title against Agit Kabayel next, says president Mauricio Sulaimán

WBC president Mauricio Sulaimán says Oleksandr Usyk must fight Agit Kabayel next or be stripped of his title, ruling out prospect of an immediate Rico Verhoeven rematch unless the Ukrainian wants to vacate one of the three belts he holds

WBC president Mauricio Sulaimán has reiterated that Oleksandr Usyk will be stripped of his world heavyweight title if he does not face Agit Kabayel.

Kabayel has been waiting patiently for his shot at the unified heavyweight champion, having held the position of WBC interim champion - and No 1 contender to Usyk - since February 2025.

The WBC sanctioned Usyk's voluntary defence of his belt against kickboxer Rico Verhoeven in Egypt on May 23, but ordered the Ukrainian to face mandatory challenger Kabayel in his next fight.

Usyk has faced calls for an immediate rematch with Verhoeven after the controversial finish in front of the pyramids, but it is not an option the WBC will consider.

"The WBC ruling was very clear," Sulaimán told Sky Sports. "We accepted Usyk's petition for a voluntary defence, which has now taken place.

"Now the mandatory fight is Usyk against the interim champion Kabayel."

Usyk is the reigning unified WBC, WBA Super and IBF heavyweight champion, but risks being stripped of one of those three titles if the Kabayel fight fails to materialise.

Usyk's second reign as undisputed heavyweight champion ended when he vacated his WBO title in November 2025, opening the door for Fabio Wardley and then Daniel Dubois to win it.

Whether Kabayel will be elevated from interim to full WBC heavyweight champion in the event of Usyk's dethronement - or instead ordered to fight for the vacant title - remains to be seen.

Sulaimán would not be drawn on the matter, adding: "We don't anticipate. We don't speculate.

"Only when something happens, when something is presented, do we go through the Board of Governors to make the proper ruling."

'Referees are lifekeepers, not timekeepers'

Matters could well have been taken out of Usyk's hands had his dramatic title defence against Verhoeven ended differently.

Kickboxing world champion Verhoeven, competing in only his second professional boxing bout, pushed Usyk all the way before being dropped by an uppercut and stopped with a second remaining in round 11.

Referee Mark Lyson was criticised for stopping the fight prematurely, but Sulaimán jumped to his defence.

"I'm very proud of Mark Lyson, the referee," he said. "Because the referee's only concern is the safety of the fighter.

"He's not a timekeeper. He's a lifekeeper. We will always support a referee.

"There's only one person in the whole world who can see what he has seen - the eyes of the fighter, the reaction, the situation.

"How many fights have we seen where one more punch can hurt a fighter?

"Rico went down. His mouthpiece came out. Time is called when the mouthpiece goes out. It was replaced.

"The referee is not concerned about the time. Even if the bell rings, you can stop the fight at any time. The referee's decision is the one that counts."

Oleksandr Usyk Officially Given Mandatory WBC Title Defense Order

WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman confirms he has given Oleksandr Usyk an official ultimatum

One week after controversially beating Rico Verhoeven, Oleksandr Usyk has been given an official order from the WBC.

Despite some interest in a Verhoeven rematch, the WBC is not interested in seeing that fight again. Instead, the commission has ordered Usyk to defend his heavyweight title against its interim champion, Agit Kabayel, per Boxing Scene.

Without compliance, Usyk would be forced to relinquish the WBC belt from his collection. He has shown a willingness to do so, vacating the IBF title in 2024 to pursue a rematch with Tyson Fury, but the Kabayel fight also appears to be what he was already headed toward.

Kabayel was the fight teased for Usyk immediately after his win over Verhoeven. Turki Alalshikh flew the German out to Giza for the fight and brought him into the ring after the controversial finish to have a brief face-to-face.

Alalshikh admitted after Usyk's win over Verhoeven that he is intrigued by the rematch, but not until after 'The Cat' defends his titles against Kabayel. The 33-year-old has been waiting for the fight since he knocked out Zhilei Zhang to win the interim title in February 2025. He has since defended it with a third-round TKO win over Damian Knyba in January.

Kabayel has been widely viewed by most fans as the second-best heavyweight in the world since his decisive victory over Zhang. The 27-0 juggernaut also has victories over Frank Sanchez, Arslanbek Makhmudov and Derek Chisora.

If Alalshikh's vision comes to fruition, it would force Usyk into enemy territory for the second time in his last three fights. The 39-year-old is one fight removed from an undisputed heavyweight title fight against the London-born Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium in July 2025.