Usyk vs. Kabayel deadline nears.
Of the potential candidates for those who could possibly beat Oleksandr Usyk, one name that is often presented as the most likely to succeed is Agit Kabayel.
Rico Verhoeven surprisingly added himself to that list in May, shocking observers by putting on a performance that saw him comfortably ahead for many before he was controversially stopped.
But while talks of a rematch were honest and serious afterwards, it had already been decided beforehand that Usyk would likely be facing Kabayel in his next fight.
This is because the WBC had ordered that to be the case. As a result, if Usyk were to choose any other fight, he would be stripped of that organisation’s title.
Kabayel is the WBC interim champion, so he would either be upgraded or be ordered to fight for the vacant championship. In all situations, though, the preferable outcome is that we see the fight we want to get made.
In the case of Usyk vs. Kabayel, the intrigue lies in the fact that Kabayel is the best body puncher in the heavyweight division. Usyk, for all his strengths, has shown a disliking for body shots.
So, in order to see such an intriguing affair, the WBC set a deadline of the 30th of June for the respective parties to reach an agreement. That is now 8 days away, and they have yet to do so.
If they still haven’t agreed to a deal on the day of the deadline, the contest will go to purse bids. And from there, it’s very likely that boxing fans will have to play the waiting game.
But when it comes down to it, having to be patient is something every fan of the sport is familiar with.
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