Usyks team signaling that Kabayel isn't a big enough money fight

If Usyk retires now without fighting Kabayel that’s a terrible move and another stain on his excellent career,he made a deal to fight the kick boxer and part of that deal was he fights Kabayel next,had he not any intention of fighting Kabayel he should have just vacated the WBC belt instead of having Kabayel sitting about waiting for his shot,it’s not like he has not vacated bels before.I’d be surprised if Usyk goes back on his word and avoids Kabayel,but then again I never thought he’d take a crossover fight either !

 

Usyk wants every fight to be a "money fight". He's totally unwilling to fight routine contenders. And the messed up part is Kabayel is not a routine contender. He's a defending world interim champ.

Another simpler take is Usyk knows he'll lose to Kabayel and is just excusing. But that's low hanging fruit.

 

Hopefully Usyk does face Kabayel next if he desires to continue. Whilst his legacy is secured he would make himself look bad in the short term if he avoided for a joke bout like Wilder etc. Though I doubt it due to his outstanding career record (excluding the Rico blip). Though if he is fighting Kabayel then he needs to get on with it for his own sake. Wasting time only makes it worse for him as he slowly declines further. 2019 Usyk beats Kabayel easily. 2026 Usyk may not beat him at all.

 

That doesn't excuse Kabayel sitting on his ass since the Zhang fight either. Whole division needs to get a move on.

 

here we go again..

 

Kabayel has fought since the Zhang fight ! It’s Usyk holding the Division up for all the mandatory’s,nobody else. No other fighter on here would get a pass for it and we both know it !

 

I actually think that Usyk is over it and had enough he can't get motivated and is carrying injuries.

 

Kabayel defended against an undefeated contender. He's the only champ whose been doing his job.

 

My prediction is Usyk drops the WBC to avoid Kabayel, probably drops the IBF too as they said they'd schedule their mandatory within 180 days of the Rico fight, and just waits on the outcome of Fury-Joshua later this year praying Fury wins so they can do the trilogy.. and given Fury likely beats Joshua, there'll be Usyk-Fury III in 2027 to the dismay of boxing fans

If Joshua beats Fury, then Usyk retires because there's no money fight left in the division for Usyk. There's an outside chance Usyk would then choose to fight Wilder, but it's significantly less money than a Fury trilogy so I doubt it

 

I could see Usyk-Wilder. Fury 3 seems more risky now, Usyk did look "old overnight". Whereas Wilder is 41 and Usyk would be a huge favourite. He wanted the fight prior to Wilder beating Chisora, which has made Usyk-Wilder more credible optically.

If Usyk wanted to maximise cash and time in the sport while minimising risk it would be Wilder and Rico 2 in whatever order, then retirement.

 

Hopefully not,no fan wants this to happen,but I could see it happening unfortunately.

 

He fought what basically amounts to a tune up. Meanwhile you had Wardley have his first title defence against Dubios.

There's no excuse as to why Kabayel's resume is so thin at this stage of his career.

 

See above.

 

It was a title defense against an undefeated opponent who has one of the longest reaches of all time.

The fact it was a "no one" is a point in Kabayels favor because no ones willing to fight fighters without a "brand". At this moment you get extra credit for tuneups because champions are straight up refusing to do them. We need tuneups. Thats what keeps things moving. If no one does tuneups the sport dies.

Kabayels resume being thin is the fault of the three stooges who torched the division and ruined the careers of their peers. Kabayel did everything one can do at the regional level while waiting for his shot he only got a few years back.

 

I don't really buy that at all. Kabayel had plenty of better options, he just didn't want to risk it.

It also didn't stop fighters like Parker from taking on big names when he was a mandatory, and he's from a nation that barely registers boxing as a sport.