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 BoxingScene 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.
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.
