WBC MANDATE: OLEKSANDR USYK ORDERED TO FACE AGIT KABAYEL AFTER NEXT VOLUNTARY DEFENSE

WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman confirms Oleksandr Usyk must face Agit Kabayel. Discover the latest on the mandatory title order.

WBC Mandate: Oleksandr Usyk ordered to face Agit Kabayel after next voluntary defense
Agit Kabayel eyes Oleksandr Usyk after destroying Damian Knyba

Nobody’s sure who Oleksandr Usyk will face next, but one thing’s set: after his next voluntary defence, he has to fight Agit Kabayel. That’s straight from WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman. Usyk, who holds the WBA, WBC, and IBF heavyweight titles, hasn’t fought since he tore through Daniel Dubois in five rounds last July. That win unified the division, but the undisputed glory didn’t last long; just a couple of months later, the WBO stripped him for skipping a mandatory defence against Fabio Wardley.

Usyk passed on Wardley with the expectation he’d meet Deontay Wilder next. The WBA, WBC, and IBF all gave Usyk the green light for a voluntary defence, clearing the way. But Wilder decided to fight Derek Chisora instead, which left Usyk without an opponent and the boxing world guessing.

Names like Andy Ruiz Jr and kickboxing star Rico Verhoeven have come up as possible opponents for Usyk, who goes by “The Cat”. But the real showdown on the horizon is with Kabayel. Sulaiman explained to Chris Mannix that Kabayel couldn’t step in earlier because he already had a fight lined up in January. Usyk requested a voluntary defence – pretty standard stuff. Now, he’s obligated to fight the interim champ next. No way around it.

Kabayel earned his interim WBC title by stopping Zhilei Zhang in six rounds back in February last year. He didn’t waste time after that, defending his belt this past January when he blasted Damian Knyba in front of a packed house in Oberhausen, Germany.

Instead of sitting out and waiting for his big shot, Kabayel wants to keep busy. His promoter, Frank Warren, is already planning another fight for him in the spring, possibly against top contender Lawrence Okolie. Warren told Ring Magazine, “We had the balls to go there, do it and take that chance. There’s always been a big love for boxing in Germany, and now they’ve got a hero. The arena sold out in just over a day. He’s fighting again in May, and next time, we’re aiming for an even bigger venue.”

FLOYD MAYWEATHER IN "OFFICIAL BREACH" OF CONTRACT FOR PACQUIAO PRO REMATCH, SAYS CEO

Floyd Mayweather faces "breach of contract" as Pacquiao Promotions demands a sanctioned pro fight in Las Vegas

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Manny Pacquiao's team denies "exhibition" claims; legal battle looms over rematch - Courtesy Picture

Looks like Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao are really gearing up for that rematch, even with all the back-and-forth talk. Fans were shocked earlier this year when word came out that they’d be squaring off at The Las Vegas Sphere on September 19, over ten years after their first fight. That first showdown back in 2015? Mayweather pretty much ran the show and scored a win on points.

But now, things feel a little fuzzy because Mayweather started hinting this wasn’t a full-on pro fight, just an exhibition. Chatting with Vegas Sports Today, he said, "As of right now, we don’t actually know where the fight is going to be at," and doubled down: "This is not actually a fight; it’s an exhibition, so we’re going to do it again, and hopefully we'll entertain the people. We’re both winners; it's an exhibition, so we’re both winners.”

On the flip side, Pacquiao’s camp isn’t budging; they want a real sanctioned bout. Pacquiao jumped back into action last year, fighting Mario Barrios to a draw. His team made it clear he’d only fight Mayweather in a legit pro match. Jas Mathur, CEO of Manny Pacquiao Promotions, pushed back hard against Mayweather’s latest comments.

Speaking to ESPN, Mathur insisted that the match is happening and is purely professional. “As of right now, the fight is still on. There is no termination of any sort, and he has signed for a professional fight," he said. Mathur didn’t mince words, either: “He's been in breach since he went out and said what he said on Saturday, and he's officially in breach as of yesterday.

"Mayweather signed three separate agreements on three different days with two different groups, all tying back together in January. It’s all about his return to pro boxing. First was October 24, then November 6, and again on December 14. He received payment when he signed each agreement, and he even took an advance on his purse for fighting Pacquiao.

"Nobody has brought up anything about the venue or whether the fight isn’t a pro match. His team has the contracts; he signed them, and we’ve got DocuSign records, wet signatures, device ID, IP address, everything.

"If Floyd’s afraid of Manny and isn’t willing to risk his record in a real match, he shouldn’t have signed anything in the first place. He should just come out and say it, because Manny’s definitely not scared.”

Mayweather walked away from pro boxing in 2017 after beating McGregor, but kept busy fighting exhibition matches against guys like Logan Paul, Deji, Aaron Chalmers, and John Gotti III. Pacquiao stepped away about five years ago to focus on politics in the Philippines, but the itch brought him back to the ring last year. Now, both seem ready or at least Pacquiao has settled the rivalry once and for all.McGregor but

JOHN FURY CONFIRMS TOTAL FAMILY COLLAPSE AHEAD OF TYSON FURY’S APRIL 11 RETURN

John Fury reveals his relationship with Tyson Fury is destroyed as the Gypsy King prepares for Arslanbek Makhmudov.

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John Fury claims his relationship with Tyson is now "destroyed" - Photo Credit: Getty Images

John Fury opened up in what might be his most emotional interview yet, saying that his relationship with Tyson is destroyed. It’s clear things between them have eroded beyond repair.

Tyson Fury is gearing up for his return to the ring on April 11 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, facing off against the powerful Russian heavyweight Arslanbek Makhmudov. Known as 'The Gipsy King', Tyson has already made it clear he won’t have a traditional boxing trainer this time around. Instead, he plans to handle his own training, echoing a tough, self-reliant approach.

“I’m a one-man army. I train myself like Clubber Lang,” Tyson told Sky Sports last month. “As long as someone hands me a drink and a bit of Vaseline between rounds, I’ll be fine.”

That means SugarHill Steward, the well-known coach, won’t be part of the team, nor will John Fury, Tyson’s father, who hasn’t worked with him since Tyson’s first fight against Oleksandr Usyk in May 2024.

John seems to have stepped back even further, hinting that he might not even attend the upcoming fight after revealing how broken their communication has become.

In a candid talk with Playbook Boxing on YouTube, the 60-year-old was blunt: “My relationship with Tyson is destroyed. Boxing did that, completely. I’ll say it on camera: I’ve never taken £10 from him, and I never will.”

He continued, “I don’t want Tyson’s money, and honestly, I don’t need it. Whatever he’s got, good luck to him. But people need to remember who laid the groundwork for his story when he was a kid; it wasn’t him building it alone. It was me, his father.”

John’s voice cracked as he got deeper into the topic, admitting, “I was nearly asking for a break because of how strong these feelings are. I haven’t really shown this side before, but they’re locked in there.”

When it comes to Tyson’s current state, John didn’t hold back. “I think he’s past his prime. I’m the type who says it as I see it,” he said. “I love my son, but too many folks have been telling him things that aren’t true, hyping him up as if he’s invincible. He’s not; he hasn’t been for a while.”

For John, the turning point came after Tyson’s battles with Deontay Wilder. “Those fights finished him off. Wilder really took it to him. Tyson’s legs aren’t there anymore. Makhmudov is a serious threat; that’s just how I see it.”

John understands that Tyson is trying to test himself again, but he warns that the proof will be in the ring once the bell rings.

He explained further, “Tyson was a beast, but anyone who fights one of the hardest punchers three times pays a price. You can’t just refill that tank as if nothing happened. Every punch matters.”

John pointed to Tyson’s last fight, where he went down four times from heavy shots but still pushed through with everything he had. “He fought with heart, gave it his all,” John said, “but after that knockout, he had nothing left.”

He recalled Tyson’s own words, saying that he was “ready to die in that ring” if needed, reflecting a mindset willing to risk all.

Turning to the career management side, John expressed frustration. “If you can’t give your father respect when it counts, then just move on. I don’t need that. Tyson chose

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