In borrowing, or paraphrasing a line from Donald Trump, one Trump himself borrowed or paraphrased from Ronald Reagan, Agit Kabayel says he wants to “make boxing in Germany great again.”
The unbeaten 33 year old heavyweight contender will box a homecoming fight in Germany on January 10, this against unbeaten Polish big man Damian Knyba, and a huge crowd is expected at the Rudolf Weber Arena on the night.
Kabayel, for some fans the most deserving world heavyweight title challenger out there, also said that he has enjoyed being the underdog in previous fights and that he is now ready, willing and more than able to take “the best fights possible for me.” Right now, however, with a shot at unified, four-belt heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk a strong possibility for next year, Kabayel, 26-0(18) insists he is fully focused on Knyba.
Kabayel’s Homecoming: “I Plan on Making the Arena Shake”
For his part, Knyba, all 6’8” of him, says he is “going for the knockout” on January 10. This is a risky fight for Kabayel while it is a big step up for Knyba, 17-0(11).
“It’s huge coming home again, fighting in front of my fans, and I plan on making the arena shake on January 10,” Kabayel said as quoted by Ring Magazine. “It’s a homecoming fight, and it opens the door and signals to the entire world that I can fill arenas in Germany with the support that I have. Let’s make boxing in Germany great again. I want the best possible fights for me, but right now, I have Knyba in front of me. After that, we can talk about the future.”
Knyba Promises a Knockout in Enemy Territory
Knyba, who is powerful as well as big and physically strong and imposing, is looking to make his own future great, this by scoring the upset victory in what will be the first big heavyweight fight of 2026. 29 year old Knyba never came out with the quote, but he is looking to make boxing in Poland great again.
“My dream has come true, and I have worked hard for this opportunity,” Knyba said. “The fight will be hard, but it’s a great chance. I know what’s coming fighting in his territory. It’s a lot of pressure, but I believe in myself. I am going for the knockout. My goal is to bring Poland a world championship and to be a part of Polish history.”
Both Kabayel and Knyba will be fighting for their people, their countrymen and women as much as they will be fighting for themselves in January. Some fans may see this fight as a veritable mismatch, this as they have not heard of Knyba. But such thinking can be ruled out, as Knyba is a man who can fight, and Knyba is a man who can punch.
Kabayel deserves credit for risking his WBC interim title against a man he didn’t have to fight.