Oleksandr Usyk, the reigning unified, four-belt heavyweight champion, is also a fighting man who can easily be referred to as a road warrior. Usyk, during his future Hall of Fame career, when boxing at cruiserweight and at heavyweight, has fought in numerous countries, including: Russia, Germany, England, America, Poland, and Saudi Arabia.
Usyk has shown he will take on the opposition in their veritable backyard, that’s for sure. And one man wants to challenge Usyk at home next year. Usyk has a number of possible fights for 2026, this when he next boxes, including fights with Fabio Wardley, Moses Itauma, Agit Kabayel, and maybe even Tyson Fury in a third fight. But German hero Kabayel wants Usyk to return to his country to defend against him in what he says would be a big stadium showdown.
Kabayel: “It’s Easy to Make a Full Stadium in Germany”
Kabayel, who must come through against Polish giant Damian Knyba on January 10, says a fight between he and Usyk would make a whole lot of sense for Usyk, as there are so many Ukrainian people living in Germany, people who would show up to support the defending heavyweight champ.
“Why not?” Kabayel said with regards to fighting Usyk in Germany, as quoted by Talk Sport. “The fans will say Agit Kabayel is the best body puncher in the division. In Germany, there are so many Ukrainian people. It’s easy to make a full stadium with this fight. My last performance was very good. If Usyk accepts it, I’m ready.”
Usyk’s Return to Germany — A Fitting Chapter?
The last time Usyk boxed in Germany was back in September of 2017, when he defended his WBO cruiserweight title against Marco Huck. Heading into that fight, Usyk was angry, this, he said recently, for the sole time in his career, because Huck, a trash-talker, got under his skin by insulting his mother. Maybe Usyk will like the idea of going back to Germany to make a fifth defence of his world heavyweight title?
Kabayel, if he can come through okay against potential danger man Knyba, will most likely be the most fan-demanded next challenger for Usyk. It will either be Kabayel, the WBC interim heavyweight champ, or Fabio Wardley, the WBO interim champion. Just who will Usyk choose to fight when he returns to the ring for the first time since July of this year?
Kabayel said this week that he aims to “make German boxing great again.” A Kabayel win over Usyk in the challenger’s homeland would certainly do it.