Jai Opetaia vs. Fabio Wardley.

Hes 33.

Most of the top HWs are in their 30s.

Kabayel was NABF/EBU champ. How much more prestige do you want?

 

In Cuban years. He looks 50.

I want Kabayel to fight a live pulse.

Wardley went from Huni to Parker to chasing Usyk.

Kabayel went from Zhang to fighting a can in his backyard.

 

People said the same thing about Luis Ortiz and hes one of the best 45+ fighters ever. HWs are still ducking him. Wardley probably wouldn't fight him. He was not older then his DOB but people made up stories and everyone believed them cause stereotypes.

Sanchez is not old. Hes 33.

People do this with fighters like Sonny Liston too. People see shaby documentation and instead of just assuming the birthday is either correct or off a few days/months people let their imaginations run wild.

Kabayels a world champion fighting a promising unbeaten in his first title defense. Knyba might beat Wardley. Knyba is not a "can". Maybe you think hes fighting Hyssa? No hes fighting Knyba. Not that Hyssas a "can" but they upgraded the matchup!

 

Luis Ortiz ducked AJ and hasn't really beaten a notable opponent to support your claim. Even a rusty Ruiz beat him.

Kabayel is not a proper world champion yet. He's a contender and a mandatory for the WBC and seems happy to just coast along.

For Knyba, maybe can is a bit harsh. He's far from proven and miles below what Kabayel should be fighting. Kabayel should be stepping up not backwards.

 

In 2015 IMO Ortizs WBA interim belt was more credible then AJs full IBF one and the reason AJ got elevated above him was pure politics. The Jennings belt not the earlier one.


Ruiz beat Ortiz when Ortiz was 43 and Ruiz was 11 years younger. Ruiz was the same weight he was when he beat AJ. Ortiz still won half the rounds and recovered from multiple knockdowns. The previous fight he came back from 2 KDs down to knock out Charles Martin.

Ortiz really doesn't have to beat "notable opponents" to be one of the best mid 40s. Right now none of the top HWs can find matchups and the fact none of the top guys want to try farming Ortiz really says a lot.

Whether you want to consider him a proper world champion thats your opinion. Theres certain champs I don't recognize their belts as real belts though not that many. On the record Kabayel is one.

"He's far from proven and miles below what Kabayel should be fighting. Kabayel should be stepping up not backwards."

Knybas a fairly standard title defense. More then that hes actually the kind of guy Usyks supposed to be fighting instead of wasting the divisions time with rematches and Wilder. Thats what champs are supposed do fight unproven younger fighters with nice records. Some wins will end up aging well others won't but thats boxing. Thats what the sport is supposed to be not an endless cascade of unifiers. We've lost sight of that.

 

Interm titlists aren't world champions. Most here would agree with that.

In Kabayels case it's clearly an easy fight to pass the time. He's supposed to be in the top 5, he shouldn't be wasting his time with anything less than another top 10 guy.

And I'm sorry, you absolutely do have to beat notable opponents before claiming to be a top heavyweight.

 

I said he was one of the best in his 40s? Guys in their 40s don't beat many "notable HWs".

Because no one fought each other for years no one knows who the top 10 really are. There is no class of 10 HWs who are clearly better then the next 10. We don't really have that.

 

People did fight each other. I just don't rate the ones who didn't very highly.

We may have to agree to disagree on this one though. I respectfully disagree with you, and appreciate your point of view.