Which of the following would be acceptable to you as Usyk's NEXT fight?

Discussion in 'World Boxing Forum' started by catchwtboxing, Aug 10, 2025 at 8:40 PM.

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Who would be acceptable NEXT

  1. Joe Parker

    90.1%
  2. Agit Kabeyal

    72.3%
  3. Fabio Wardley

    10.9%
  4. Deontay Wilder

    19.8%
  5. Derrick Chisora II

    1.0%
  6. Tyson fury III

    7.9%
  7. Anthony Joshua III

    2.0%
  8. Moses Ituama

    12.9%
  9. Artur Beterbiev

    7.9%
  10. Other (please elaborate

    5.9%
Multiple votes are allowed.
  1. Veys9

    Veys9 Let's go Champ! Full Member

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    Parker deserved it the most. Kabayel would be a fair choice, too. Personally, I would also have fun watching Usky - Bakole.

    Fury and Joshua would be ok, but meh.

    Anything else or Jake Paul would be disappointing.
     
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  2. Perkin Warbeck

    Perkin Warbeck Boxing aficionado Full Member

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    Parker is the best choice.

    Kabayel is acceptable.

    Possibly Wilder for the name value and because it would be entertaining to watch.

    Maybe Wardley after he gets a good win, but not now.

    No more rematches, please.
     
    Last edited: Aug 11, 2025 at 1:17 PM
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  3. jmb1356

    jmb1356 Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Parker, wouldn’t get mad at Wilder though. Kabayel should have to beat a contender first.
     
  4. northpaw

    northpaw Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Kabayel or Parker. I personally say Kabayel, Parker is a boxer first and foremost and you won't win that game with Usyk
     
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  5. BCS8

    BCS8 VIP Member

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    There's only three valid choices on that list.

    Parker at the top, then Kabayel then Itauma.

    I'm not interested in any other fight.

    I mean, I'd have a laugh at Wilder getting clowned but it wouldn't be a good fight, he seems kind of shot right now to me. Likewise, any rematches can **** right off, not interested in the slightest.
     
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  6. Reuben Jones

    Reuben Jones New Member Full Member

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    Voted Kabayel. Feel like I'm repeating myself but Kabayel's run feels way more impressive and deserving. If you'd have told me he'd bulldoze through Makhmudov, Sanchez and then Zhang I probably would have laughed. Whereas with Parker, I'm never convinced, even when he wins. I feel like he's limited, and always squeezing the most out of his ability and using his experience to get him through most fights, compared to Kabayel who's made his run look easy. I genuinely can't see any way Parker finds a way to win against Usyk. He's a good boxer, but he's coming up against a once-in-a-generation boxer, so he can't outbox him like he did Wilder and Zhang, not in a million years. And his power is limited. If Usyk can avoid hard, monstrous punches from Chisora, Joshua, Dubois etc, I can't see how Parker can trouble him. I don't see the Bakole knockout as evidence of that. Bakole was horrendously out of shape, and had no business being in that ring. Plus there's always a bit of luck with a temple shot. In case anyone thinks I'm a Parker hater, they couldn't be more wrong. I love Joseph Parker the person, he's one of the nicest, likeable guys in boxing. Same as Usyk. Which means you wouldn't even get the trash talk to sell it. Everything about Usyk-Parker screams boring. It's no wonder Turki doesn't wanna make it. :lol: Parker does deserve a shot too though, which is why it annoys me that the Dubois fight wasn't remade. He could have had his title shot, just not with Usyk.
     
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  7. MaccaveliMacc

    MaccaveliMacc Boxing Addict Full Member

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    My preferred opponents are, in order: Parker (mandatory, the most deserving), Kabayel (WBC Interim title holder, great clash of styles), Wardley (WBA Interim title holder), Itauma (hyped as the next best), Wilder (the last of 2019 3 kings), Fury (still would be an entertaining fight probably).
     
  8. Pepsi Dioxide

    Pepsi Dioxide Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Parker or Kabayel, id probably vote Parker but would of loved it those two would of fought each other to make a crystal clear #1 contender
     
  9. Ike

    Ike Member Full Member

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    Kabayel and Parker are expected to be Usyk's next opponents. One is the interim WBC champion, the other the interim WBO champion, and both are coming off three major victories. If I had to choose between them, I'd choose Kabayel.

    In any case, on July 24th, the WBO gave Usyk and Parker 30 days to agree on a fight, and apparently negotiations between the two haven't begun, so I think we'll be able to remove Parker from the list in a few days. Unfortunately, I don't think he or Kabayel will be Usyk's next opponent, I really hope there isn't a third fight with Fury.
     
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  10. Kwabz

    Kwabz New Member Full Member

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    Beating both Parker and Kabayel would only solidify his resume even more
     
  11. Reinhardt

    Reinhardt Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Wilder? please! constant losing is not a path to a title shot.
     
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  12. MagnificentMatt

    MagnificentMatt Beterbiev literally kills Plant and McCumby 2v1 Full Member

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    I find the idea of Usyks next opponent being “acceptable” to me laughable and odd.. I could say that with nearly any fighter, but especially Usyk who has consistently taken the hard road….

    As far as what I think would be best? Its hard to say. Right now, Parker would add the most to his legacy.. but maybe if he beats someone else who goes on to accomplish more later, it would be even better.

    What i think he should do, is whatever fight makes the most money, even if its shot to bits Wilder.

    I dont think any remaining opponent would nudge his all time standing much either way.. He beat the best the division has had to offer for years in beating solid versions of AJ and Fury.
     
  13. BubblesUK

    BubblesUK Doesn't buy hypejobs Full Member

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    Maybe, but if it doesn't then a win over Kabayel is even less likely to - and at that point we've basically ruled out everyone as borderline irrelevant and it shouldn't matter much who he fights...

    As it stands, even considering losses, Parker adds a less insignificant amount to the total than Kabayel does.

    In future, that might change... But then again, it might not - that depends entirely on what either goes on to achieve after losing to Usyk (which both do, IMHO comfortably).

    The problem with Kabayel is he has two pretty decent wins and a load of absolute dross - if he fights Usyk and loses, what's to stop him going back to fighting regional level journeymen like he did for 6 years after Chisora? And if he did, he'd certainly add a lot less value than Parker because as it stands he adds a lot less than Joe.

    Sure, it seems like a big "if" - but equally, for Kabayel to be the better win in the long term we'd have to assume that Kabayel goes on a much longer good run and Parker backs up his gloves and goes into hiding... History doesn't suggest Parker quits after losses, and it's not like there's much between them in age terms.



    For me, Parker deserves it.

    Kabayel might be interesting, but he's a way off being equally deserving as Parker.

    Then there's the rest...

    Parker is the most deserving option and least likely to be a blowout.
    Kabayel is okay, but a shame for Parker to get skipped.
    Anyone else isn't about legacy or quality, it's about money or attention, or both.
     
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  14. drenlou

    drenlou VIP Member Full Member

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    Parker or Kabayel are the most deserving right now.
     
  15. BubblesUK

    BubblesUK Doesn't buy hypejobs Full Member

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    Considering the run he'd been on for the 6 years preceding, of course you would - he'd beaten Chisora and then run away to fight very poor quality opponents in Germany... And only stopped 3/6 of them, too.

    And also because Makh and Sanchez were hyped up really hard for what they've proven and what they are - they're okay wins, but in the moment the hype would've made them feel like a mountain to climb for a guy who was considered a bit of a joke when mooted as an opponent for Joshua or Fury.

    In all honesty he simply deserves it far more - yes it seems like a bit of a foregone conclusion, but Kabayel realistically is as well, and Parker is more likely to see out more rounds and has the skills to provide a few moments.


    I won't be surprised if neither gets it... But if it's on who deserves it most and has the best record to suggest they'll make it interesting? It's Parker all day, for me.
     
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