Agit Kabayel says Oleksandr Usyk should face him next if he gets past Rico Verhoeven this Saturday at the Pyramids of Giza. The unbeaten German holds the WBC interim heavyweight title and expected to be next in line, but the WBC instead sanctioned Usyk’s defense against Verhoeven, a kickboxing great with limited boxing experience.
Kabayel admitted he was surprised when he first saw the fight approved. “When I saw it, I said, ‘Crazy,’” he told BoxingScene. “Normally, I will call Mauricio [Sulaiman] and say, ‘What is this?’ But, I respect it and I hope I’m the next in the line.”
While Kabayel understands the entertainment value of Usyk-Verhoeven, he does not see it as a true sporting test. “I think this is a good fight for the fighting fans,” he said. “I think this is not for sports competition, I think this is for the fans. This is like a show fight.”
Still, Kabayel believes the normal order should be clear after Saturday. “Normally, he must fight with me, Usyk,” he said. The German also expects Usyk to win, though he warned that heavyweight boxing always carries danger. “One punch can change a fight, but we will see. This is a good fight for fans, but I think this is an easy night for Usyk.”
Usyk has spoken about a short final run before retirement, with Verhoeven, Daniel Dubois and Tyson Fury mentioned as possible targets. Kabayel’s name has not always been central to that plan, but he believes the fight can still happen - especially with Turki Alalshikh interested in staging Usyk vs. Kabayel in Germany. “If one guy can make this fight happen, I say it’s Turki Alalshikh,” Kabayel said.
Image Credit: Sky Sports