Make German Boxing Great Again. Agit Kabayel is on a mission to bring boxing in Germany back to where it once was. Already in the press conference for his long-awaited “Homecoming” at the beginning of next year he sees an indication that this can succeed. Because of a paradoxical problem, Kabayel has no front-row opponent waiting for him. His manager still sees a way to “ring the alarm bells” for heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk.
“Look and turn around: when was the last time you saw a press conference so crowded? I think we’ve arrived in Germany,” said Agit Kabayel in a good mood. Influencer Ringlife asked at the boxer’s press conference on Wednesday evening in Düsseldorf whether sports Germany finally knew what kind of diamond it had with him after Kabayel’s impressive winning streak in Saudi Arabia.
In fact: Hall 6 at the Böhler area in Meerbusch was packed, hundreds of fans gave the heavyweight an enthusiastic reception, loud shouts of “Agit-Agit” went around. One spectator even laughed at Kabayel’s promoter George Warren when the Brit rolled out his plan to make Kabayel “great” in Germany. “He’s already big in Germany, Agit is the biggest.”
The likeable, modest Kabayel would probably not say this about himself. His goal, however, is a great one. The 33-year-old wants to take the heavyweight throne and become the first German since the legendary Max Schmeling (1930) to become world champion in all classes. Even more: Kabayel wants to usher in an era. Boxing in Germany should once again be as powerful as it was in the times of Henry Maske and the Klitschkos – with him at the top, as a figurehead, in whose slipstream other fighters rise to the top.
Kabayel’s dream fight against Daniel Dubois fell through
The starting signal is on January 10th in Oberhausen, in the Ruhr region, where the man from Wattenscheid is at home. Most recently, Kabayel shone on the stages of fistfight mogul Turki Al-Sheikh in Saudi Arabia. He chopped the two-meter giants Arslanbek Makhmudov (Russia) and Zhang Zhilei (China) short and small in Riyadh, as well as the technically experienced Cuban Frank Sanchez. Since then, Kabayel has called himself the “Liver King” because he dismantled his opponents with blows to the body, preferably to the liver.
With his knockout triumph over China’s colossus Zhang, Kabayel captured the title as interim world champion of the WBC Association. Sounds bulky. Translated from the officials’ resourceful “boxer” this means: He is appointed by the organization from Mexico City as a mandatory challenger to world champion Oleksandr Usyk.
However, the Ukrainian boxing king is still a long way away for the turf fighter. On the one hand, Usyk (also world champion of the other associations WBA, IBF and WBO) makes no attempt to defend his crown against Kabayel. On the other hand, the WBC has not yet put any pressure on the champion to do this. So Agit Kabayel is a challenger in waiting.
For his home game in Oberhausen, the “interim champion”, who was undefeated in 26 professional fights, still wanted “the greatest possible sporting challenge”. Actually. Because the search for a good opponent turned out to be tough. Team Kabayel received several rejections from the front row. The duel with desired opponent Daniel Dubois did not take place – although the Englishman publicly challenged the German. Although Kabayel was willing to postpone his “homecoming” and head over to the island. Although both boxers are under contract with the Queensberry agency run by promoter legend Frank Warren and his son George.
During the first discussions about the Anglo-German heavyweight hit, Dubois claimed an injury, George Warren said when asked by the former world champion according to the IBF version sport.de dutifully in protection: “We therefore had to move on and it was also crucial for our relationship with Agit and also for our company goals that we bring boxing back to Germany.”
Agit Kabayel meets “Polish Hussars”
In the end, Queensberry signed Poland’s Damian Knyba as an opponent. The 29-year-old has won all of his 17 professional fights, 11 by knockout, and towers over the 1.91 meter tall Kabayel by ten centimeters. The broadcasting streaming giant “DAZN” praised Knyba in Düsseldorf as a “diamond in the rough of boxing”. Well, there has to be a bit of hype in prize boxing. A look at Knyba’s combat record reveals that the “Polish Hussar” has not yet defeated an opponent of distinction.
Damian Knyba towers over Agit Kabayel by half a head (in the background: promoter George Warren).
“The most important thing for Agit is not to take this fight lightly,” warned Warren in his role as promoter. Kabayel nodded – for reasons. His coach Sükrü Aksu mentioned this in the interview sport.de on your own success story as an underdog. Kabayel was also “bought in as a loser three times” when he flew to Riyadh. In the heavyweight division, we always have to be careful “not to run into shit like that.”
The 120-pound hunk Knyba is traveling to Germany in January with the “Puncher’s Chance” that is eternal in heavyweight boxing, the hope of hitting the golden bull’s eye. “I’m definitely going for the knockout,” said the giant with the octopus-like long arms. His goal: “I want to become the first Polish heavyweight world champion.” For Kabayel, Knyba is supposed to be just a stopover on the way to boxing’s Mount Everest.
If Kabayel wins, the big fights against the heavyweight elite will be within reach, promised Warren and, in addition to Dubois and Usyk, he also named the English knockout Fabio Wardley, who recently shook the scene with a victory over former WBO title holder Joseph Parker. The 38-year-old Englishman emphasized that Kabayel doesn’t even have to travel to Great Britain for a big fight.
“How about a UK fighter coming to Germany, wouldn’t that be great? We can do that in the summer,” said Warren, confirming plans for a big boxing show next year (sport.de reported). Under the motto “England vs. Germany”, English and German boxers could then fight against each other in a football stadium in Germany, with Dubois and Kabayel in the main roles – that was previously thought in view of the preliminary banter.
Kabayel manager: Dubois chickens out
Spencer Brown, however, doubts Dubois’ courage to fight. Kabayel’s British manager was included in the background discussion sport.de less diplomatic than Warren. Dubois and his trainer would have canceled a possible fight. His compatriot doesn’t want to know anything about Kabayel.
In general, it is difficult to find opponents for his protégé. “Agit is the bogeyman (editor’s note) of the heavyweight division,” emphasized Brown: “He puts constant pressure on him, he constantly hits the body. It’s this consistency that causes his opponents to collapse. But that’s why the big fights are difficult for him, hardly anyone wants to fight him. Neither does Usyk, he doesn’t like it to the body.”
Your own class as a brake on your career – a paradoxical problem that “DAZN” expert Bernd Bönte also sees. “Agit is currently the best body puncher in the heavyweight division, boxing in the tradition of Rocky Marciano or Joe Frazier,” praised the Klitschko brothers’ long-time manager. Heavyweights who hit the body so aggressively are rare. “There is of course a great risk of being hit yourself if you hit your body and open yourself up,” said Bönte, referring to the stylistic risk. Kabayel accepts it. “I go where it hurts. Not many people do that,” said the “lumberjack” (original sound Brown) in February after he brought down the Zhang Chinese Wall with his constant blows to the liver, solar plexus and ribs.
About Wardley for the world championship fight against Usyk?
Brown still sees a “path” to a World Cup chance against King Usyk. The WBO has signed the Ukrainian to defend his belt against Fabio Wardley next. But Brown doesn’t believe there is enough financial incentive for Usyk in this fight. And since Dubois doesn’t want to fight Kabayel, “I will talk to Fabio Wardley’s people,” the manager announced.
The style of the technically limited man from Ipswich with the powerful right hand is “perfect for agitation,” said Brown. “If he beats Wardley, alarm bells will ring for Usyk too.” Especially since a fight in Germany would be quite attractive for the world champion. “Outside Ukraine, nowhere is the concentration of Ukrainians as high as in Germany. With this fight we could sell out every stadium here.”
Video: Exclusive: Kabayel challenges Usyk
The way to get there should lead via the planned Anglo-German blockbuster – against Wardley, if Brown has his way. In Düsseldorf, perhaps also in the Ruhr stadium of VfL Bochum on Kabayel’s doorstep Anne Castroper. Even with this fight the hut would definitely be full.
Speaking of a full hut. Kabayel’s management said on Friday evening that 80 percent of the 15,000 tickets for the fight evening in the Rudolf Weber Arena in Oberhausen had already been sold. “Germany is really keen,” said George Warren and was already talking about a new “boxing boom in Germany.” However, Agit Kabayel does not have to provide proof of this at the hall counter. His fight against Knyba will only be shown on “DAZN” if you purchase an extra ticket in “Pay per View”.