Agit Kabayel vs. Knyba Result: Kabayel Wins by Controversial TKO

Agit Kabayel managed to retain his WBC interim heavyweight title against Damian Knyba  in a fight that ended in controversial fashion. Kabayel, who was struggling early on, looked on the verge of being overwhelmed in the first round, but managed to gather himself as the fight progressed.

Knyba, despite dominating the opening round, eventually found himself outgunned and hurt, leading to a premature stoppage in Round 3. While Kabayel was indeed finding his rhythm, it’s clear that Knyba was not out of the fight, making the referee’s intervention a matter of dispute.

Knyba’s Early Dominance

The first round could not have gone better for Knyba. With a significant reach and height advantage, he made full use of his jab, repeatedly landing straight rights and uppercuts. Kabayel was caught early, with Knyba landing a clean uppercut that stunned the German fighter and caused damage to his eye. Despite the pressure, Kabayel, to his credit, kept pressing forward, answering with some strong body shots. The round ended with Knyba clearly on top, leaving Kabayel with a lot to recover from.

By the second round, Knyba was still managing to land, but Kabayel adjusted, starting to get a better read on the distance. He began landing short, accurate shots, and the pressure he had been building started to bear fruit. His right hand found the mark more often, and he began to push Knyba back with the power in his shots. The volume of body work Kabayel was throwing began to take a toll on the challenger.

Turning the Tide in Round 3

By the third round, Kabayel had found his rhythm. A lead left hook connected early, followed by an uppercut from Knyba. Kabayel responded, digging into Knyba’s body and landing a solid right hand. Then, a sharp one-two combination clearly hurt Knyba. The challenger, now also cut, looked visibly staggered and unable to mount an effective response. Kabayel continued with a clean right over the top, and another right hand nearly sent Knyba to the canvas. With 45 seconds remaining, Knyba was in trouble and struggling to stay afloat.

Despite the pressure Kabayel had put on him, the stoppage was controversial. Knyba wasn’t fully out of the fight, and some felt the referee’s intervention was premature. Still, it’s hard to ignore the momentum Kabayel had built. He had found his range and was landing at will by the time the referee called an end to the fight.

Kabayel’s Resilience and the Questionable End

Kabayel, after a difficult start, demonstrated strong resilience, adjusting to Knyba’s early dominance and capitalizing on the opening left by his opponent’s fatigue. While the stoppage may have been early, Kabayel’s cleaner, more precise shots in the third round were a clear indication that Knyba was on the back foot. However, whether or not the referee should have allowed Knyba to continue remains a point of contention.