Agit Kabayel vs Nelson Hysa in November

The economics of boxing in Germany are horrendous. He was probably offered 150k or so. Better to sell your 0 to a British boxer and earn 3 times of that

 

Your math is fine but what is a title worth? Look how much for example how much Andy Ruiz made in the rematch. Fight cheap and win and you make $$ as champ. Or maybe he felt he wasn't going to win.

 

Kabayel isn't fighting Hysa!!! But people don't realize that Kabayel has a real lack of opponents to face. Let's start with the other champions:

Oleksandr Usyk (lineal champion) — Usyk has never seemed eager to face Kabayel. The WBC, which sanctioned the Rico fight, had a stipulation that Kabayel would be the immediate mandatory challenger to Usyk after the fight, but Usyk vacated all his belts. Whether or not you think the move was justified because Usyk is old and washed, it does show that Usyk is retired from the world-level scene.

Daniel Dubois (WBO champion) — Dubois is simply forced to take the rematch with Wardley.

Murat Gassiev (WBA champion) — Kabayel's team has said multiple times that they tried to make this fight, but nothing came of it. Now, I don't think Gassiev is ducking. I'm 90% sure he fights his mandatory challenger, Miller, in November/December.

Filip Hrgovic (IBF champion) — Hrgovic's trainer, Abel Sanchez, has stated that he wants Hrgovic not to fight at all this year. Hrgovic is planning to fight in early 2027, but he has his mandatory in Frank Sanchez, whose team is publicly saying they won't take step-aside money. And while unification fights often trump mandatories, the IBF is a belt that will make Hrgovic fight Sanchez before he fights another champion.

Top contenders/notable fighters that won't work/make sense as opponents:

Fury/AJ — Both fighters seem to be back on track. I reckon the fight doesn't happen, but neither fighter will be ready for a November fight date.

Fabio Wardley — In a rematch with Dubois.

Frank Sanchez — Waiting to fight Hrgovic for the IBF.

Jarrell Miller — Looks to be going the WBA route by fighting Gassiev.

Moses Itauma / Richard Torrez / Andy Ruiz — Coming off a loss. Neither deserves a title shot or is likely to fight a champion next.

Guido Vianello — Looked horrible against Moses Jolly.

Bakhodir Jalolov — Fighting on the Dubois-Wardley undercard and probably won't fight again this year after his fight, let alone a month later.

Michael Hunter — He's a journeyman now.

Lawrence Okolie — In trouble over PEDs. Won't see him anytime soon.

Martin Bakole — At war with his promoter.

Jared Anderson — He might as well be dead.

Deontay Wilder — According to Kabayel's team, Wilder doesn't want to fight. I think he's going to fight Usyk in the future.

Tony Yoka — He's in limbo. Always getting injured and having fights cancelled.

Fighters Kabayel should fight:
Justis Huni — In camp for some fight. I think he could change his plans, though, if he gets offered a fight with a belt holder.

Richard Riakporhe — Looks quite good at heavyweight. He's only fought once this year and is 36 years old. The clock is ticking.

The IBA guys (Artem Suslenkov and Arslan Yallyev) — I'm not high on either fighter, but they come to win, probably aren't going to price themselves out, and aren't journeymen.

Efe Ajagba — Solid fight and wants to fight again this year. Zuffa will probably be eager to have one of their heavyweights challenge for a belt.

Joseph Parker — Yes, Parker is coming off a loss, but before that, everyone wanted to see him get another shot against a champion. He's still a skilled boxer, so let him get another crack at the title.

Labinot Xhoxhaj — European champion and around the top of the European level.

 

- Stiverne was a fat **** who lost to Demetrice King

- Wilder broke his hand in the fight...which...I am not saying negates the accomplishment completely...he broke it on Stiverne's head. But there is some context, there. IF you want to know Stiverne's level, it is somewhere between the first Wilder fight and the second.

 

I ain't saying Stiverne was great, I'm just saying the one who lost to Wilder the first time wasn't horrible (like he was afterwards.)

Like I said he was a "fine" heavyweight... Which generally in the last couple of eras puts you somewhere in the top 10.....

 

helpful analysis. Parker would be amazing but looking at the opponents Kabayel has been targeting more recently I would expect a no-name to step in. Or maybe Knyba rematch?

 

Justis Huni - would likely be robbed in Germany

Richard Riakporhe - I imagine he'd take the fight

Labinot Xhoxhaj - deserves it as much as Hysa

Artem Suslenkov - would be robbed in Germany even if he deserved to win

Andrii Novytskyi - ranked by the WBC

Arslan Yallyev - Yallyev looked very good in his last fight, and unlike some of the above fighters, he has the power to KO Kabayel (needed to win in Germany). I would like to see him have a shot.

 

Not by much.

 

Xhoxhaj is European champion and fights actual European-level fighters or prospects, though he hasn't faced anyone "good" yet. Hysa is a straight can crusher. Neither deserves a title shot, but I wouldn't be much more down for a Xhoxhaj fight than a Novytskyi fight, because Novytskyi hasn't even beaten a prospect or European-level boxer.

Yallyev is a good pick, but he lost to Yoka. I know the decision was controversial and Yallyev was dominating the later rounds, but if you score it round by round, I think most honest people would have Yoka winning. So I think Yallyev would present more of a challenge to Kabayel than Suslenkov, but I don't think Kabayel's team would pick him over Suslenkov because his record looks worse.

The fight I want to see most is the Riakporhe fight. I know he hasn't earned it at all, but from the list of available opponents, in my mind is clearly the best fighter by far.

 

Neither of these fighters are nowhere near top-10 HW (besides Huni), neither would be a serious threat to Kabayel (let's be honest about it).
Justis Huni - by far the best of the list. Most likely gets knocked out either to the body or to the chin (can't take a good punch)
Riakhpore - slow and predictable. Easy to read
Xhoxhaj - too small and limited
Suslenkov - struggled with Jack Mulowayi and competely shot Joe Joyce. Has zero chance to get robbed vs Kabayel who would beat him easily on points or by KO.
Andrii Novytskyi - just NO. Too soft
Arslan Yallyev - same as Riakhpore. Strong but predictable. Had even fight vs Yoka who is levels below Kabayel

 

As if just us honey is much better, if at all.

 

I was responding to a list without Huni. I think Riakporhe is worse than Huni, and Huni is the best fight for Kabayel. My take is that Huni would go the full 12 rounds and be Kabayel's toughest fight yet.

 

Stiverne was never worth a damn.

 

Huni is 1000% better than Hysa and is a legit top 10-15 fighter

 

What on Earth has he done to prove that? His resume blows, he has zero power and a mediocre chin.