WBC sanctions Usyk vs. Kabayel fight
Kyiv • UNN
WBC President Mauricio Sulaimán has ordered Usyk to defend his title against Agit Kabayel. In the event of a refusal, the Ukrainian risks losing his championship belt.
WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman has stated that the current heavyweight champion of the organization, Oleksandr Usyk, is obligated to defend his title against Agit Kabayel, or else he risks being stripped of the belt. Sulaiman made this statement in an interview with Sky Sports, as reported by UNN.
The WBC decision was very clear. We accepted Usyk's application for a voluntary title defense, which has already taken place. Now, the mandatory bout is Usyk against the interim champion Kabayel,
The publication notes that Usyk is the current unified WBC, WBA Super, and IBF heavyweight champion, but risks losing one of these three titles if the fight with Kabayel does not take place.
Addendum
Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk secured a victory over Dutchman Rico Verhoeven in a bout that took place on May 24 in Egypt. The fight ended prematurely at the end of the 11th round.
After his victory over the Dutch kickboxer Rico Verhoeven, Usyk addressed his fans, stating that "only the dead haven't said that Akela missed."
Following the Usyk-Verhoeven bout, Kabayel entered the ring. Kabayel is the challenger for Oleksandr's WBC title. Kabayel offered Usyk a fight, which Agit says he has been waiting for for a long time.
Saudi fight organizer Turki Alalshikh called for a rematch between Usyk and Verhoeven.
This is Usyk's choice. Now is not the time. Kabayel is the challenger, but Rico deserves a rematch. We want to see the fight with Kabayel, and then a rematch against Verhoeven in the Netherlands,
In response to the proposals, Usyk stated that he is ready to fight both.
Okay, no problem. Brother, I'm ready. I can box both of them, no problem,
Yesterday, Kabayel posted a video on Instagram in which he called to "push the horses."
I have been silent long enough. Now it's time to pick up the pace (push the horses - a reference to Usyk's words). The WBC wants to see this fight. The fans want it too. And you agreed to it in the ring. So, Usyk: let's do it. And if not, vacate the title and give the next generation a chance to take your place,
In the video, the German is watching the Usyk-Verhoeven encounter in Giza. After that, Kabayel looks at a photo of himself and Usyk, then picks up the phone and calls Usyk, but hears that the subscriber is out of range.
Currently, the subscriber you are calling is unavailable,
In the video, Kabayel talks to his trainer, promoter Frank Warren, and manager Spencer Brown. They all promise that the bout against Usyk will be made.
Also in the video, Kabayel showed a moment from a run where a Ukrainian flag with the inscription "Stop War" is shown on a wall, and the boxer himself, putting on headphones, turns on the song by the group Myusli UA - Don’t Push the Horses.
This is the exact phrase Usyk said before his fight with Dubois.
At the end of the video, Kabayel "works" on a heavy bag with a photo of the Ukrainian's face, and later his training is interrupted by a phone call from Sulaiman, to which the German says: "Hey, Mauricio, I'm ready. How much longer do I have to wait for Usyk?".
The video ends by returning to the first scene: Agit is sitting on the sofa, looking at a photo on a tablet and saying in German: "You promised me. Usyk, come out."