StadiumPosts Logo
Stay upto date with notifications from Stadiumposts
Notifications can be managed in browser preferences

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.”

STADIUM CONFIRMED: TYSON FURY VS ARSLANBEK MAKHMUDOV SET FOR TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR STADIUM APRIL

Tyson Fury returns to the ring on April 11 against Arslanbek Makhmudov. Discover why he chose Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the bout.

top-news
The Gypsy King returns to North London for a heavyweight clash today

Tyson Fury is stepping back into the ring against Arslanbek Makhmudov, and they’ve picked the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the big night, April 11.

When they first dropped the news about this heavyweight clash, nobody knew where it would actually happen. Fury’s team looked into bringing him home to Manchester, maybe setting up a fight at Old Trafford. But now The Sun says it’s all happening at Spurs’ place, right in North London.

Tottenham’s off playing Sunderland at the Stadium of Light that day, so the 64,000-seat stadium is wide open for Fury and Makhmudov to settle things.

It’s not the first time Fury’s fought there. Four years ago, he wrapped up his trilogy with Derek Chisora at Tottenham, winning by stoppage in the tenth round. The stadium has hosted some big names; Anthony Joshua met Oleksandr Usyk there in 2021, and Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn’s heated battles happened on that turf last year, too.

We’ll get more details on the fight at a press conference in London on Monday.

This bout means a lot for Fury. It’s his first fight in 15 months. He’d said he was done after back-to-back losses to Usyk, swearing he’d finally retire, but, honestly, that never seems to stick with him. He’s quit five times before, only to turn right back around.

On Instagram, Fury explained why he can’t walk away: “I’ve won pretty much everything – regional belts, world titles, Fighter of the Year twice, Ring Magazine twice, every world title belt. But for me, there’s nothing else like the fight game. I love it. It’s not about money; I could’ve quit a decade ago and been set for life. Sure, I want a good deal, but it’s really about loving the sport. I’m 37, almost 38, and fighting’s all I care about. That’s how I was raised; it’s who I am.”

If Fury beats Makhmudov, there’s something even bigger waiting for him this summer. The Saudis have already lined up the details for a long-awaited all-British showdown against Anthony Joshua. And there’s even talk about a WBO heavyweight title shot with Fabio Wardley on the table.

FLASH NEWS: FABIO WARDLEY VS DUBOIS ODDS TIGHTEN AS NEGOTIATIONS REACH FINAL STAGES

Fabio Wardley is set to defend his new WBO heavyweight title against Daniel Dubois on May 9. Get the latest negotiation updates.

top-news
Fabio Wardley Confirmed as Full WBO Heavyweight Champion

Every day, it looks more likely that Fabio Wardley and Daniel Dubois will face off in the ring.

Wardley just got bumped up to full WBO heavyweight world champion after Oleksandr Usyk vacated the belt, and now he’s hunting for his first title defence. Derek Chisora was in the mix, but he’s out—he’s lined up a fight with Deontay Wilder in April.

Last week, word got out that Wardley’s camp is talking with Dubois’ team about setting up a big all-British clash. Dubois, still hungry after losing his rematch to Usyk, has been pretty vocal—he wants this fight, no question.

DAZN says things are moving the right way. Negotiations are rolling, and everyone seems focused on sealing the deal for sometime around mid-year. The date organisers are eyeing right now is May 9, with London’s O2 Arena as the venue.

If it happens there, it’ll be Wardley’s second straight fight at the O2—he beat Joseph Parker in that same arena last October. Some had floated the idea of a bigger stadium, like Tottenham Hotspur’s, but the plan is clearly for a more intimate setting.

Wardley vs Dubois is exactly the kind of heavyweight clash that gets British boxing fans buzzing. Both guys can hit; both have something to prove. Dubois is desperate to get back in the title scene. He’s brought Don Charles back into his corner, hoping for a fresh push after that tough loss to Usyk last July. Still, at 28, he’s got plenty left in the tank.

Honestly, a fight between Wardley and Dubois almost feels like destiny now, with both guys at the top of the division. Frank Warren, who promotes both fighters, sounds excited about making it happen. “Wardley will fight in early May,” he told talkSPORT. “It’s probably odds on that he’ll fight here. I’m catching up with George [Warren], who’s been handling talks with both teams. I love that fight—if we can make it, it’ll be brilliant.”

Premier League Standings

WhatsApp Read More News