Is Kabayel the biggest threat to Usyk? (VIDEO)

I'm just going by what he said. One more fight, he said.

 

Agree 100% about Kabayel soon being knocked out by a big uppercut as bodywork makes you vulnerable to them, and Kabayel has been hurt and dropped before.

Although Usyk is obviously an ATG - he really doesn't strike me as one that throws vicious uppercuts nor he would stand and trade with Kabayel which is obviously super wise considering his out-boxing ability is too good.

 

Very early for Itauma V Opetaia!

 

Comparing Parker va Kabayel as contenders against usyk I see a Parker that has more experience but has shown in many cases where his limits are. On the other hand you have kabayel who has less experience but js a bit of a wildcard with a style and specific strengths that I believe have a better chance of giving us an interesting fight against usyk than parker's.

Now naming parker a poor man's usyk might be a bit harsh, instead what I see is that parker had success against wilder and bakole by throwing wild swingers and preventing and controlling the fight in between his actions to minimize risk. Against zhang he boxed and again with a very low output. Before these fights (and that is what his vast experience is about) he often fell into a same speed rhythm where he just carries on through the fight and either won or lost but did not change a lot about his approach.

None of that looks really good going into a fight against usyk.

Now kabayel has beaten 3 decent opponents which constitute three wins of about the same quality as parker's recent fights. He has way less experience. But he is a wildcard. The skill that brought him to our attention was not preventing and controlling the fight but cutting the ring, fighting and going to the body like I haven't seen before in heavyweight.

I don't believe that Usyk is super weak to the Body. I believe that Usyk can outmaneuvre kabayel. I am very much expecting usyk to win against kabayel.

But kabayel seems magnitudes more interesting to me as an opponent for usyk than parker who will not be able use his recent successes to control the fight against usyk or prevent him from being active or his experience in same-speed trading. He will just be outboxed continuously. Against kabayel usyk might favor a more offensive approach.

That said all this is just highlighting the differences between both fighters. Parker deserves the fight as much as kabayel and to me is a close second in order of strength against usyk. Opetaia has no experience at heavy although he might be number three and itauma has no experience period.

 

We may never know, since they may never fight. I wouldn't make it a forgone conclusion, but I'll have it 70/30 in favour of Usyk. Much like Dubois, the fighters Kabayel have shone against in his last three fights are not in the same stratosphere as Usyk, so hardly counts for much in that regard. Against Usyk, he'll have to contend with subtle manoeuvres, movement, stinging acurrate well placed & timed shots with an ever increasing work rate. Would he falter and start to make mistakes (each of which gets punished btw), or would he get Usyk out by mid rounds? I have no idea, but I'm inclined to think that as the fight goes on to the later rounds, we'll see more of the former and won't be surprised he he quits on his stool.

 

Of course, Kabayel is the biggest threat to Usyk.

His body attack will trouble any fighter.

 

Yep, I saw him quoted to that effect too. Let's just hope it's a negotiating and/or sales tactic; the guy's clearly got plenty left in him ... unless he truly wants to exit at the top of his game, Seinfeld-style....

 

If hes not hes the biggest one we're aware of. Hes the biggest threat to outpoint Usyk not to knock him out.

 

One thing is for sure - Kabayel would not fall as easily from Usyk's single punch as from Zhang's punch.

Great video, again.

 

I agree with your sentiments but if we are going to look into the depths of Parker's past and his flaws (valid) then we need to do the same with Kabayel - who nearly got dropped by Smakici, made hard work over Johnson and fought nobody of note for years despite being signed to Top Rank. Now, that would be harsh on Kabayel. Same applies to Parker, who is levels above the Kevin Barry days of his career and has objectively one of the best teams in the HW Rankings right now.

Based on recent resume; Kabayel has the grit to play the matador. Parker has the skill to thread the needle. Pick your poison.

I think Usyk v Kabayel would be the more thrilling contest. Usyk v Parker would be a tactical fight. I can see why fans want Kabayel and I'd pay money for it too. But I am intrigued how Parker would approach this fight, and how Usyk fares against someone who would select his shots and move his head around. He's also quietly cultivated the best overhand right in the Top 10 right now. Its horses for courses.

I also agree that Usyk isn't vulnerable to body work. Its a bullsh*t myth that's surrounded Eastern Euro fighters for a while, and perpetuated by the DDD low blow.

 

Imagine if Usyk took out Parker and Kabayel before riding off into the sunset

 

I like Kabeyal but he's not going to trap Usyk on the ropes to unload those body shots like he did Makhmudov, Sanchez and Zhang. I think Usyk-Parker has to be made, but Agit...I would rather see him fight for a vacant title and work on is own legacy, rather than taking an unnecessary loss.

 

I think he is ready even now

 

He has since walked that statement back, so I wouldn't read too much into it.

I think he is likely to fight a couple more times in cash out fights, but maybe only one more legacy fight left.