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

Yes, the risk is next to nil that he loses to Verhoeven, but it still exists. It would be zero if the belt wasn't on the line.

No, Usyk can't stay the WBC champion for another year. He's already been told he has to fight Kabayel next. He's not going to get to take a year off after this voluntary. Plus, log in the statistics a successful world title defense? No one will ever mention Verhoeven as a title defense when talking about Usyk in the future. And why would Usyk care about that anyway? He's got double digit title defenses across two weight classes and was Undisputed twice, but he's desperate to have one more on his resume?

Finally, he would stay world champion anyway. Even if he gave up the WBC he still owns the WBA and the IBF. And every fight is a risk. Though if you think Wardley or Kabayel is truly a threat to Usyk you're delusional. There's a plethora of reasons Usyk is disincentivized to make those fights happen.

Btw, you still need to categorically state Bowe, Lewis, and Foreman are ducking bums who derserve nothing but derision. I'm still waiting.

 

None of those guys are f'n active....

 

Multiple news outlets are reporting what the WBC has told them, you mook. That's not evidence. You have no idea who pushed for the WBC belt to be on the line. I just logically pointed out that it's in no way in Usyk's best interest for it to be on the line.

Pull your head from your backside. And give Parker a call and tell him I need a hookup for some party favors, ya dig?

 

That's not the point. The boxing purists here have declared that any boxer who drops a belt to avoid a mandatory is a bum and not worthy of anyone's respect. That can't just be for current and active fighters. It has to be for every fighter throughout the history of the sport. Otherwise it would just be a bunch of yokels with pitchforks biased against one guy.

 

Please....no one has to go back and name EVERYONE who ducked anyone just because of Usyk. That's ridiculous to suggest. I mean, why only go back to those three you listed. If ANYONE says someone is a bum, they need to go back to the start of boxing and list ALL names, right?

And no, no one said EVERYONE who dropped a belt is a bum and not worthy of respect. That's just pointless hyperbole.

 

Sometimes one line is more than enough. This being one of those times.

 

If not there is not a single reason why he avoids both and takes all the critics on himself .

If he would be sure to beat them he would just face them and proove this to the world for a massive legacy and money . No , its not me who is delusional .

 

No, you're being a hypocrite and making assumptions based on nothing. Now you're getting pissy because you're being called out on it and resorting to petty insults.

 

I mean, it just sounds like a convenient excuse to be honest.

That's not to say it's impossible, but if he's that bad at giving non-Anglophone guys like Kabayel good fights, it's a shock that so many sign for him....

It's not like Kabayel has a history of chasing hard fights all the time - it's far more the opposite, TBH.

 

I think it's a fair point. Surely your promoter has influence as to who you'll fight otherwise why would they sign you up? Frank definitely has the influence to make the fights happen

 

Precisely - there's no point for the promoter in taking guys on just to watch them rot, is there?

And, as you say, Frank has the influence and the contacts.

But as the old English saying goes "you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink"... Frank can make contact as much as he wants, negotiate reasonable terms, etc - but if his fighter won't sign on the line, it's not going to happen.

No promoter, no matter how good, can get guys to fight if they don't want to.


So what's more likely - that Warren doesn't care about getting good fights for one of his top guys, who has position that can be leveraged to help drive things through? Or that a guy with a history for taking unnecessarily massive steps down in opponent quality actually doesn't want to take too many risks and/or wants too much money to sign on the line?

It sounds a bit conspiratorial, if not outright crazy, to think a promoter would be signing guys specifically to sideline them - and that they keep falling for it and signing up...

 

I mean if Frank can make bank putting Kabayel against bums while he ensures a mandatory spot why wouldn't he?

The skeptical part of me thinks it's by design. If Dubios or Wardley loses then he can pair the loser off with Kabayel to give them another try.

 

It's a fair point - equally, being able to sell live tickets in Germany is one thing... Being able to sell ppv on an international level requires far broader fame (and by broader, I'm talking casuals outside of Germany).

I guess if you're expecting him to lose his first title defence upon elevation... Well, at least you can demand a champions cut and a rematch.

Otherwise... If you think he's the real deal, why not build his profile by getting him fights against some name-value Brits or Americans to build the casual recognition instead of making this dead time?

That's also possible...

Another angle, potentially, is that Dubois in particular has a lot more name value already - if he's the loser then a fight against Kabayel might be a good way to flip a coin to either rebuild Dubois again or to sacrifice him to build Kabayel.
Works a good bit less well if Dubois wins against Wardley, though, IMO.

 

It's just a right shame because I think Kabayel has so many interesting fights he could take but just isn't. I guess he's either waiting for his title shot or a big money Saudi fight (which Frank is more than happy to facilitate evidently). Given what happened to Parker I can't say I particularly blame him, even if I find it to be distasteful.

Dubios though? Sure Frank, give him two title shots in a row despite coming off of a KO loss. The division is an absolute mess and it won't get better until Usyk starts losing those belts.

 

The only one of those three options he should follow through with is Wardley. The rest is stuffing his pockets with assured wins.