Who should he fight? Will they enforce a mandatory?
Re: Agit Kabayel - New WBC Heavyweight Champion
Posted: 27 Jun 2026, 13:37
by Ruthless-RKO
Agit Kabayel has now been officially elevated to become the WBC heavyweight world champion after Oleksandr Usyk vacated his titles.
Kabayel previously held the WBC 'interim' belt.
Re: Agit Kabayel - New WBC Heavyweight Champion
Posted: 27 Jun 2026, 16:43
by handsofstone
Whatever happened to fighting the next ranked challenger for the vacant title? We need to rid this habit of handing out belts
Re: Agit Kabayel - New WBC Heavyweight Champion
Posted: 27 Jun 2026, 18:00
by gilgamesh
handsofstone wrote: ↑27 Jun 2026, 16:43
Whatever happened to fighting the next ranked challenger for the vacant title? We need to rid this habit of handing out belts
If he doesn't ever successfully defend it he will have the dubious honor of joining the list of men who have been "Heavyweight Champion" of some sort in spite of never having won a Heavyweight Championship fight.
Right now that list is 2 names long.
Ken Norton and Fabio Wardley
Wardley of course just recently joined the list, and this kinda thing could definitely become a trend if they keep handing out belts as opposed to letting them be won the old fashioned way. In the ring.
handsofstone wrote: ↑27 Jun 2026, 16:43
Whatever happened to fighting the next ranked challenger for the vacant title? We need to rid this habit of handing out belts
If he doesn't ever successfully defend it he will have the dubious honor of joining the list of men who have been "Heavyweight Champion" of some sort in spite of never having won a Heavyweight Championship fight.
Right now that list is 2 names long.
Ken Norton and Fabio Wardley
Wardley of course just recently joined the list, and this kinda thing could definitely become a trend if they keep handing out belts as opposed to letting them be won the old fashioned way. In the ring.
i;m surprised there have been 48 years between these two, i thought it happened more often, but never really studied it to find out
handsofstone wrote: ↑27 Jun 2026, 16:43
Whatever happened to fighting the next ranked challenger for the vacant title? We need to rid this habit of handing out belts
If he doesn't ever successfully defend it he will have the dubious honor of joining the list of men who have been "Heavyweight Champion" of some sort in spite of never having won a Heavyweight Championship fight.
Right now that list is 2 names long.
Ken Norton and Fabio Wardley
Wardley of course just recently joined the list, and this kinda thing could definitely become a trend if they keep handing out belts as opposed to letting them be won the old fashioned way. In the ring.
i;m surprised there have been 48 years between these two, i thought it happened more often, but never really studied it to find out
I've been taking a particularly in depth look into this kinda thing. Especially with the Heavyweight division.
Re: Agit Kabayel - New WBC Heavyweight Champion
Posted: 27 Jun 2026, 18:54
by Ruthless-RKO
handsofstone wrote: ↑27 Jun 2026, 16:43
Whatever happened to fighting the next ranked challenger for the vacant title? We need to rid this habit of handing out belts
He wasn’t mandatory though. That’s the issue.
He wasn’t ranked. He was interim champion. So automatically just elevates you.
I agree tho. He should be mandated to fight #2. Let him have the belt, but he has to prove it now and beat the next best contender.
Re: Agit Kabayel - New WBC Heavyweight Champion
Posted: 27 Jun 2026, 18:55
by Taansend
I like that. Love Ken Norton & really admire Wardley.
Weird facts like that are great.
It took George Foreman over 25 years to win a World title fight in his own country
Re: Agit Kabayel - New WBC Heavyweight Champion
Posted: 27 Jun 2026, 19:21
by Ruthless-RKO
Re: Agit Kabayel - New WBC Heavyweight Champion
Posted: 28 Jun 2026, 00:44
by Finkel
I wonder if Frank will try to get Itauma (#3) v Hrgovic (#4) sanctioned as a WBC final eliminator.
I recall WBC and WBO had formed closer ties last year so they might even allow it to be a mandatory for either title.
In the mean time, Kabayel should fight a voluntary (top #15) or possibly even Gassiev (WBA unification), I can't believe Sulaiman would fear Gassiev, and so likely doesn't stand in the way.
Letting Fury (#1) fight for the WBC again is a gamble after his trips to the US and chats with Zuffa. And I assume Okolie (#2) is still having issues in the background with VADA
Re: Agit Kabayel - New WBC Heavyweight Champion
Posted: 28 Jun 2026, 09:24
by joshj909
If we assume that Itauma and Hrgovic Wil go for the IBF, WBA or WBO which are more likely. Also, assume that Fury and Joshua won't fight Kabayel because of their big fight scheduled for the end of the year. Also that Okolie will get a ban for his failed test. Also. That Sanchez will stay in his position for the vacant IBF belt. Also that Usyk will be facing Wilder. Also, that Kabayel won't choose a voluntary against Ajagba who is restricted to Zuffa. These are the remaining WBC ranked heavyweights:
joshj909 wrote: ↑28 Jun 2026, 09:24
If we assume that Itauma and Hrgovic Wil go for the IBF, WBA or WBO which are more likely. Also, assume that Fury and Joshua won't fight Kabayel because of their big fight scheduled for the end of the year. Also that Okolie will get a ban for his failed test. Also. That Sanchez will stay in his position for the vacant IBF belt. Also that Usyk will be facing Wilder. Also, that Kabayel won't choose a voluntary against Ajagba who is restricted to Zuffa. These are the remaining WBC ranked heavyweights:
2472848 wrote: ↑28 Jun 2026, 14:33
That's a lot of 'also' mate
It is but they all make sense
Not really, but this does:
If we assume that Itauma and Hrgovic fight for either the IBF, WBA or WBO, Fury and Joshua don't fight Kabayel because of their upcoming fight, Okolie is banned for his failed test, Sanchez stays in position for the IBF, Usyk faces Wilder, and Kabayel can't choose a voluntary against Ajagba who is restricted to Zuffa, these are the remaining WBC ranked heavyweights.
When Joshua and Fury win their tune up bouts they will be elevated to #1 and #2 contender status to fill one of these vacant titles. Guaranteed.
Re: Agit Kabayel - New WBC Heavyweight Champion
Posted: 28 Jun 2026, 15:27
by gilgamesh
It doesn't matter what happens to the WBA Regular. It's not a World Title.
The WBA Regular title is as important as the IBO or the WBU title.
In other words. Not at all.
Re: Agit Kabayel - New WBC Heavyweight Champion
Posted: 29 Jun 2026, 05:16
by keithmoonhangover
Kabayel-Rico incoming.
Re: Agit Kabayel - New WBC Heavyweight Champion
Posted: 30 Jun 2026, 18:19
by Riddick Bowie
What an empty, anti climatic way of becoming 'champion'.
"This is my era!" Agit Kabayel reacts to becoming the WBC's new heavyweight world champion and reveals his hitlist; he wants to make his first defence of the title in September or October and offers Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Moses Itauma the chance to challenge him for the belt
Agit Kabayel is open to defending his WBC heavyweight world title against Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury or Moses Itauma.
When Oleksandr Usyk vacated his belts, Kabayel, the interim WBC titlist, was elevated to full world champion.
"He [Usyk] understands when he fights with Kabayel, this will be a hard fight for him," the German told Sky Sports. "This is my era."
Kabayel will now look to make the first defence of his title in September or October.
"For me it's no problem, I'll fight with everyone. You can call me. My phone is here, please call me, I'll fight with everyone," Kabayel said.
"I want competition, I will fight with the best ones. For me it's no problem. I fight everyone."
He added: "Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, when you think you have a chance to be a three-time world champion, let's do it. Kabayel will wait for you."
A former sparring partner of his, Kabayel knows Fury well. Fury, being ranked No 1 with the WBC below Kabayel, could force a fight with him at some point.
"We can make the fight but first of all I think all the fans, the British fans want to see the Anthony Joshua versus Tyson Fury fight and after that we can see who's best for the fight with me," the German said.
"First of all AJ [for Fury] and after why not? This is a big fight. We can make this also in Germany in a stadium. We can make this in the UK in a stadium. I think this is big, really big."
Itauma, only 21 years old but the rising star of the heavyweight division, could well be a future opponent for the new WBC champion, if he beats Filip Hrgovic when they clash next month in London.
"No problem. The winner of that fight versus Hrgovic, why not?" Kabayel declared.
"And also we can make a fight with Daniel [Dubois, the WBO champion] or Fabio Wardley. Anyone. For me it's no problem, I'll fight anyone.
"Send me the location, send me the date, I'm ready."
"This is my era!" Agit Kabayel reacts to becoming the WBC's new heavyweight world champion and reveals his hitlist; he wants to make his first defence of the title in September or October and offers Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Moses Itauma the chance to challenge him for the belt
Agit Kabayel is open to defending his WBC heavyweight world title against Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury or Moses Itauma.
When Oleksandr Usyk vacated his belts, Kabayel, the interim WBC titlist, was elevated to full world champion.
"He [Usyk] understands when he fights with Kabayel, this will be a hard fight for him," the German told Sky Sports. "This is my era."
Kabayel will now look to make the first defence of his title in September or October.
"For me it's no problem, I'll fight with everyone. You can call me. My phone is here, please call me, I'll fight with everyone," Kabayel said.
"I want competition, I will fight with the best ones. For me it's no problem. I fight everyone."
He added: "Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, when you think you have a chance to be a three-time world champion, let's do it. Kabayel will wait for you."
A former sparring partner of his, Kabayel knows Fury well. Fury, being ranked No 1 with the WBC below Kabayel, could force a fight with him at some point.
"We can make the fight but first of all I think all the fans, the British fans want to see the Anthony Joshua versus Tyson Fury fight and after that we can see who's best for the fight with me," the German said.
"First of all AJ [for Fury] and after why not? This is a big fight. We can make this also in Germany in a stadium. We can make this in the UK in a stadium. I think this is big, really big."
Itauma, only 21 years old but the rising star of the heavyweight division, could well be a future opponent for the new WBC champion, if he beats Filip Hrgovic when they clash next month in London.
"No problem. The winner of that fight versus Hrgovic, why not?" Kabayel declared.
"And also we can make a fight with Daniel [Dubois, the WBO champion] or Fabio Wardley. Anyone. For me it's no problem, I'll fight anyone.
"Send me the location, send me the date, I'm ready."
If they both keep winning then a fight vs Itauma seems inevitable and you'd have to say probably represents the passing of the crown to that winner from the previous AJ-Wilder-Fury-Usyk dynasty that rose from the Klitschko brothers long reign.
Re: Agit Kabayel - New WBC Heavyweight Champion
Posted: 02 Jul 2026, 03:30
by Ruthless-RKO
Re: Agit Kabayel - New WBC Heavyweight Champion
Posted: 02 Jul 2026, 04:12
by deadpan
Kabayel is good value. Fair play to him for not badmouthing Usyk.
Agit Kabayel has now been officially elevated to become the WBC heavyweight world champion after Oleksandr Usyk vacated his titles.
