Is Kabayel Next for Usyk? (Video)

I can't agree more. Kabayel has deserved this for a long time, it is the match that has most intrigued fans because of the body punching, and there is no real need for a Rico rematch.

Usyk scored a savage TKO, and would have been ahead on the scorecards after 11. You can disagree with the scoring, but he was dead even in the punch count, and would have gotten the extra point for the knockdown. You can disagree with the ref's stoppage, but the ref is not the timekeeper, and his concern is for the safety of the fighters. In fact, it could be argued that the only thing dodgy in the fight was the ref giving Rico the extra time between the knockdown and the savage ten-punch flurry. He should have at least taken a point from Rico for spitting the mouth guard.

Let's get Agit his shot, and not in 2027, either. This needs to be September-October.

As for Rico, good job, but you aren't going to jump the queue again.

 

I disagree. That controversial stoppage made Rico deserve the rematch with Usyk more than Kabayel's mandatory fight.

Kabayel is just a mediocre boxer which Usyk will destroy easily. Don't believe the hype around him.

Rico proved he's a more worthy opponent than Kabayel for Usyk.

 

It was already a bad look for Usyk to be putting off his WBC mandatory to fight this kickboxer. So don't compound a mistake with another mistake. Rico got his shot and Rico got stopped. He's more than welcome to fight some other guys in the division. I'm a fan of his now after that performance and would gladly tune in to see him fight Dubois, Wardley, Bakole, whomever.

I also think Kabayel has been wildly overrated just because he's the next guy up. I also think the mandatories and rankings are all silly nonsense. But Kabayel has been waiting around, he's a good guy, he's got a good resume, and he deserves to test himself against the champ.

Get Usyk back in a real fight with a real boxer with some real stakes on the line. I was in denial and thought he had longer, but time is not on Usyk's side anymore. If he's going to continue fighting he needs to fight some guys who will matter towards his legacy, not some dude from another sport.

 

Do you think this is actually sellable as a world interest capturing event? Especially if there's a negotiations saga involved ?

Actual question ... be cause people I talk with on this who are semicasuals havent expressed any enthusiasm when it's come up.

The Rico fight grabbed my interest because it was a whole new opponent and a whole new style for Usyk to deal with. Kabayel is a fascinating style test too for Usyk to take on.

 

Just let Usyk retire Jesus he's been fighting for over a decade you don't think peoples bodies give out eventually from all that wear and tear ?

 

The whole setup now is gonna help him.

He will wash Kabayel who is a hittable plodder who has soft skin.
It will make him look better when he beats him easy.

 

His body is starting to say no.
Boxing fans are the best and the worst at times.....never satisfied always wanting a boxer to keep going and then when it ends in disaster point a finger and say see he wasn't as good as everyone thought.

 

True but he will take Kabayel more serious.
That s why I am saying,fickle fans will,once again,annoit him after hbe puts a beating on Agit.
Usyk said he has 2 fights left(sans saturday) and it looked pretty clear Turki wants to make Kabayel next.

 

Tricky one, on the one hand he just got a very controversial win over a kickboxer so the desire for a rematch is there.

On the other, Rico should never have gotten a title shot in the first place and Kabayel has been in line for 15 months and counting.

Given Usyk's activity levels it needs to be Kabayel first. If he wants to clear up the Rico issue, he needs to fight more often to fit it in.

This isn't like when Lewis avoided the WBA to fight Grant (who many were calling for). Usyk dropped the WBO to fight a kickboxer (who no one was calling for). If he drops the WBC... well, i can't imagine anyone would deliberately set fire to their own legacy like that

 

I'd like Usyk to retire. Unfortunately, it's not up to us. He is the only one who can call time on his career, and, seemingly, he doesn't want to just yet.