Unfortunately as much as I like Usyk, he is doing something that many A-side champions have done in boxing time and time again, which is leveraging their popularity and perception as undisputed/lineal champion to avoid their universally recognised number 1 challengers Same thing Canelo was doing recently at 168lbs, ignoring the fans asking for David Benavidez and instead defending against C-level fighters like Berlanga. There's parallels to how Usyk ignored the fans asking for Parker, instead rematching Dubois (a rematch no one asked for) and then fighting a kickboxer. That's not even mentioning that Usyk has basically never even uttered Kabayel's name, despite Usyk-Kabayel easily being able to sell out any arena or stadium in Germany
I recall Whyte declining the offer to fight Uysk as he couldn't sell a fight due his lack of English (Whyte words)
I'm a fan but this fight is an absolute travesty It works financially for him I'd imagine but it's a terrible look to give a guy like Rico a title shot and delay other professionals opportunities Fury at least didn't use his crappy cross over fight to defend a title Uysk deserves all the praise, but also now deserves the criticism his actions bring unfortunately
To be fair to Usyk there have been many champions guilty of what hes done. Starting with John L Sullivan. Ending with Tyson Fury. 2 reasons its different. 1)Hes doing this after Fury, Joshua and Wilder already did it right beforehand. So the unresolved traffics accumulated. 2)Some people seem insistant on pretending the situation is something other then what it is. Multiple posters think paraphrasing that Usyk has accomplished enough to "be above criticism" and "deserves to fight soft touches" as if hes got this storied resume. And its utterly absurd. In the past fans of undefeated champs with short careers like Calzaghe and Ward have been honest instead of gaslighting us into thinking their favorite fighter had a career we know they didn't have.
Again, and again, and again, it's really not. "Travesty" is just too strong a word. With four belts, Usyk is stuck in and endless cycle of unifications, contractual rematches, mandatories and reunifications. That is not how this should be. He's already given up one belt so that Wardley could pursue his chance, and he says he wants Kabayel. Let him have his big, enjoyable event fight, and then he has to fight Kabayel. The bad guy here is the WBC who should have made it clear they were elevating Agit.
Wdym lol, there’s massive risk in rematching a devastating puncher in Joshua and Dubois and ultra motivated Fury. Fatboy Kabayel is supposed to be risky now?
It is indeed a travesty We'll just have to agree to disagree here A brilliant boxer who has been a fantastic example of a champion in the past is deservedly being criticised here You can't say "it's not how it should be" as that's the price of going for undisputed If its something he now doesn't want to carry on as, fine drop a few other belts You say let him have his "big enjoyable big fight night" are you kidding? The crowd will be modest and it's a cool location but that's about it Face it, it's financial, which isn't an issue but when will he fight again do you think? 8 months time after this? Just delaying others careers at this stage Kabayel? He also said he'd fight the winner of Parker and Wardley didn't he So if you think he'll take that fight your clearly most positive than the majority It's a disgusting fight for him to defend belt in and sure the WBC play their part but we expect no less from them Uysk we do or at least did
It isn't. No matter how much rending of clothes and gnashing of teeth you do, the facts are that he gave up a belt, thus freeing the division in a way you are claiming it's not free. And he still has time to face Kabayel. The REALITY is exactly the opposite of what you are saying. If you don't like it, don't watch. Just watch Wardley's fights. He's your champ.
I swear this forum has some true room temperature IQ posters. One thing all of you are seemingly forgetting is that basically every single active HW today is a Frank Warren fighter. Kabayel is signed to Queensberry. Wardley is signed to Queensberry. Queensberry just sued Turki for a BILLION DOLLARS. So for Usyk to fight one of those guys he's got to: take way less money, be stuck dealing with crooked ass Frank Warren, the fight has to be on enemy territory where the judges/ref probably will be bent because Frank runs the promotion and pays those people, and Usyk forever ruins any chance of making a fight with Turki going forward. Usyk was actually trying to get a more legitimate fight over the finish line. He was talking about Ruiz and Wilder, etc. These are non-Queensberry guys that would at least be some sort of legit and who would make a fight you could sell. They didn't want it and so Usyk is stuck with Turki's idiotic choice of this kickboxer. The WBC have said Usyk has to take on Kabayel after this voluntary. If Usyk does face Kabayel later this year then this is just a silly one-off and no big deal. If he doesn't, then strip him of the belts and let the division move on. The facts are money is the only thing that runs the show in boxing. That's been true since its inception. Turki has the money, therefore Turki runs the show. Usyk isn't a Canelo or Inoue who has a built in ginormous racial/national fanbase that lets him call all the shots. He's gotta play nice with the money men. Sucks, but it is what it is.