Oleksandr Usyk has dominated the heavyweight division in recent years, but his next potential challenger is now being labeled as the one fighter capable of breaking that run.
Kabayel’s manager Spencer Brown has gone as far as calling his fighter Usyk’s “kryptonite,” pointing to a style built around relentless pressure and body work.
“He works the body beautifully, he is game as a pebble, he stays on top of you… I don’t think that Usyk will like that,” Brown said, warning that the German is “one of the most dangerous men in the division.”
The focus on body attacks stems from rare moments where Usyk has shown vulnerability, including being dropped by a body shot from Artur Beterbiev in the amateurs and the controversial low-blow incident against Daniel Dubois in their professional bout. Those moments have fueled the belief that sustained pressure to the body could pose problems for the undefeated champion.
Kabayel, currently the WBC interim champion and mandatory challenger, is pushing for his opportunity, with his team insisting the fight must happen after Usyk’s upcoming clash with Rico Verhoeven on May 23. “He has either got to fight us or he has got to relinquish that title,” Brown said.
Despite that position, Kabayel was notably absent from Usyk’s recent shortlist of future opponents, leaving uncertainty around whether the mandatory will be honored.
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