Deadline looms for Oleksandr Usyk and Agit Kabayel to reach fight agreement

The June 30 deadline set by the WBC for the teams behind heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk and mandatory challenger Agit Kabayel to reach an agreement for a fight is quickly approaching.

If signed contracts are not produced through negotiation by then, the contest between Ukraine’s Usyk, 25-0 (16 KOs), and Germany’s Kabayel, 27-0 (19 KOs), would go to purse bids.

In May, following Usyk's harder-than-expected victory over Rico Verhoeven, WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman was adamant that Usyk-Kabayel must happen in 2026.

”Agit is the WBC interim champion and mandatory contender for Oleksandr Usyk," he said. "He has earned his stripes. He took part in that heavyweight extravaganza three years ago in Saudi Arabia, and defeated everyone… The fight between Agit and Oleksandr has to happen this year.”

Turki Alalshikh has also stated his desire to next see Usyk face Kabayel, ideally in a stadium in Germany.

Should Usyk, who's also the WBA and IBF heavyweight champion, decide against fighting Kabayel he would have to vacate or faced being stripped of his belt. Kabayel, as interim beltholder, would either be elevated to champion or fight for the vacant title.