Since Usyk has no plans to fight Kabayel, should he vacate the WBC title?

Discussion in 'World Boxing Forum' started by Perkin Warbeck, Mar 10, 2026.

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Should Usyk vacate the WBC title?

Poll closed Jun 17, 2026.

  1. Yes, it's the honorable thing to do

    65 vote(s)
    89.0%

  2. No, even though he has no intentions of fighting Kabayel

    6 vote(s)
    8.2%

  3. I'm not sure

    2 vote(s)
    2.7%
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  1. Perkin Warbeck

    Perkin Warbeck Boxing Aficionado Full Member

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    Usyk is my favorite fighter, but I'm not some silly fanboy who puts a boxer above fair criticism.

    He has said he will fight only three more times: Rico, the winner of Wardley-Dubois, and "Belly" Fury.

    Therefore, should he vacate the WBC title?

    This content is protected
     
    Perkin Warbeck, Mar 10, 2026
    #1
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  2. Rick’s Piano

    Rick’s Piano Member Full Member

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    Yes of course
     
    Rick’s Piano, Mar 10, 2026
    #2
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  3. Kiwi Casual

    Kiwi Casual Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Of course he should, but he won't as he's defending the belt against a non-boxer instead.
     
    Kiwi Casual, Mar 10, 2026
    #3
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  4. CroBox29

    CroBox29 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Money has become dear to Usyk, even though he has plenty of it. I've changed my opinion about him and he's no longer a legend to me.
     
    CroBox29, Mar 10, 2026
    #4
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  5. mrbigshot

    mrbigshot Well-Known Member banned Full Member

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    Exactly . He will say he just defended the wbc belt :fufu

    Kabayel just expressed in german press usyk simply fears him and looks only for money and easy opponents .

    But hey ... some users here will nevertheless call him a noble and honorable sportsman
     
    mrbigshot, Mar 10, 2026
    #5
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  6. Mickc

    Mickc Well-Known Member Full Member

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    It’s a fight many want to see but unfortunately I think Usyk will vacate the WBC belt just like he did the WBO belt .
     
    Mickc, Mar 10, 2026
    #6
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  7. DaRealJT

    DaRealJT Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Usyk’s ducking of Kabayel is as egregious as Canelo’s ducking of Benavidez, and the sad thing is he’ll likely get away with it too
     
    DaRealJT, Mar 10, 2026
    #7
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  8. Power_tek

    Power_tek Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    No, no champion should ever vacate a title, but he should be stripped of it but seeing as how this fight has been arranged in accordance with the WBC, he won’t be.
    The reason why he has been able to have it as a title fight is because that Rico is the WBC kickboxing champion, or at least that is the excuse I have heard.
    It’s an absolute travesty that any title can be on the line against a fighter that doesn’t have a ranking with any of the recognised governing bodies.
    It’s not often that I take a stand and not watch a fight but this is one, it’s worse than the Jake Paul shite.
    It makes a mockery of the sport and the ranking system, I wonder what happens when he gets beat does that get him a ranking because he fought for a title?
     
    Power_tek, Mar 10, 2026
    #8
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  9. Serge

    Serge Ginger Dracula Staff Member

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    See how it plays out after Rico. He said he'd never fight Belly again but now he's saying he's the third and final fight on his hitlist. He changes his mind often and let's see what the landscape looks like after he's fought Rico

    If Dubois beats Fabio Usyk should fight Kabayel after Rico

    If Fabio beats Dubois Usyk should fight him or Kabayel after Rico

    If he fights Fabio after Rico and beats both he should fight Kabayel next and if he wants to fight Belly he should be stripped of the WBC

    People are criticizing him for ''ducking'' Fabio because he was so scared of a white collar boxer but if he fights Kabayel instead of Fabio after Rico assuming they both win they'll say he's ducking Fabio and if he fights Fabio instead they'll say he's ducking Kabayel

    This is his exit strategy and he'll be bare minimum 40 y/o the time fight 3 and if the Belly trilogy is his final fight that's fine given his age and it's the most lucrative fight out there for him providing it's not for the WBC belt which he should be stripped of. I'd rather he didn't but I'd rather see Usyk vs Belly III than Usyk vs Dubois III

    After he's fought Rico, assuming he wins of course, we can revaluate and see if he's sticking to that plan or not and if the WBC should strip him then as opposed to later. Kabayel might lose his next fight, Dubois might beat Fabio
     
    Serge, Mar 10, 2026
    #9
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  10. Serge

    Serge Ginger Dracula Staff Member

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    The likes of Fabio, Kabayel, Moses, Okolie should really be duking it our with each other for the opportunity to face the King

    Fabio's beaten Huni and J-Park in his backyard on a deck stacked in his favour, controversially that is, and let's not forget they were trying to make Usyk vs Fabio in the UK and make the King travel into the lion's den yet again

    Kabayel beat Mak, Sanchez, and Big Bang on neutral soil and they were pushing for the King to travel into the lion's den again when he calls the shots. So Kabayel has fought exclusively at home or on neutral ground and like Fabio never done an Usyk and fought in his opponent's backyard, certainly not a live one if so

    Moses has fought exclusively in the UK or a few times in Saudi and hasn't beaten anyone

    And Okolie has fought exclusively in the UK or in his motherland Nigeria x 1 and in Poland vs Polish Bridgerweight (whatever that is) and to be fair he's fighting Glass Jaw Yoka in France next

    Usyk has done everything the hard way on a deck stacked against him often and forged a career fighting fellow champs, the highest rated contenders, and tough touches in their backyards and on the road. None of these guys have been doing so on a deck stacked against them sans Okolie once vs a D level he dwarfed

    Usyk got to fight all the killers and top dogs B2B when an old man now and on a deck stacked in their favour all the time or at best on supposed neutral soil but they haven't done so once?
     
    Serge, Mar 10, 2026
    #10
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  11. TNSNO1878

    TNSNO1878 Well-Known Member Full Member

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    The difference between Inoue and Usyk at the moment is night and day. On one hand, we have an undisputed champion who fought 4 times last year and is now facing an undefeated fellow P4P star in his next undisputed defense. On the other hand, we've got Usyk, who is being given carte blanche to defend his title against someone from a different sport. Any other fighter gets scalded for this, especially if they don't vacate the WBC belt, but apparently, it's okay when it is Usyk. If Joshua had done this when he was champion, we would never hear the end of it.
     
    TNSNO1878, Mar 10, 2026
    #11
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  12. Chuck Norris

    Chuck Norris Obsessed with Boxing

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    The fight could still happen. Kabayel has proven to be a big draw in Germany. Usyk isn't afraid of anybody, he is just looking at the most lucrative bout. Ray Leonard once said; "If the money is right, we will fight". Besides, Usyk always changes his mind, he is somebody who can't quit boxing. He has been saying the same stuff since the Briedis fight.
     
    Chuck Norris, Mar 10, 2026
    #12
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  13. Cyrion

    Cyrion Member Full Member

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    Usyk talks a lot of ****. If Usyk had been serious about every future fight he'd brought up, he'd have fought Canelo, Jake Paul, Ruiz, Wilder, Poatan, and about 20 other guys. So him claiming he's laid out his next 3 fights is nonsense. He's just trolling. If Dubois were to beat Wardley, no one is paying for Usyk v. Dubois 3. And no one is paying the $200+ mill it would take to make Usyk v. Fury 3 happen.

    WBC has already said if Usyk doesn't fight Kabayel after Rico then Kabayel gets the belt. So we either get the fight we want or Kabayel becomes champ. Win win.
     
    Cyrion, Mar 10, 2026
    #13
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  14. Finkel

    Finkel Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Hmm, it will come down to a risk/reward calculation.

    The honorable thing to do is drop the belt early. He has never done that in the past, I don't expect him to do so now. He will draw this out, keeping his options open, and he can by rights

    Don't expect the WBC to force the issue either

    If they think they can sell you on Dubois (two-time champion) Undisputed 3, they will. Warren is very good at playing British fans like a fiddle. Funny though that Turki's man, Usyk, is now saying he is open to a Warren fighter next given the very public lawsuit
     
    Finkel, Mar 10, 2026
    #14
  15. Finkel

    Finkel Boxing Addict Full Member

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    I think you are right. Or at least I hope for it. But Usyk has often skirted the idea of fighting Kabayel. Then, finally, his management seemed open to Kabayel once they saw the crowds in Germany. And now Usyk is back again to being pressed to talk about Kabayel
     
    Finkel, Mar 10, 2026
    #15
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