Promoter Frank Warren says he won’t allow a potential rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Rico Verhoeven to go ahead of Agit Kabayel finally getting his shot at Usyk.
Usyk beat Verhoeven by controversial stoppage in the 11th round on Saturday, after struggling far more with the kickboxing champion than anyone expected.
“Whatever happens, they’re talking about maybe doing a rematch with Usyk and Rico. We’re not going to stand for that,” Warren told Sky Sports.
“Usyk’s been there long enough and (Kabayel)
wants his moment, and that’s what we’ll be pushing for with the WBC, and hopefully we get it over the line and do that sometime in the autumn.”
Now, being clear, Turki Alalshikh said right after yesterday’s controversial fight had ended that Kabayel would be first in line to face Usyk, with an Usyk vs Rico rematch coming after that.
But it’s perhaps not all that simple, in any respect. Alalshikh did note that it was Usyk’s choice, too, which it is. Yes, Usyk has a WBC order to face Kabayel, but we’ve learned repeatedly that Usyk does not have much sentimental attachment to belts. He’s twice been undisputed heavyweight champion — and no longer is — because he’s been willing to give up titles to take bigger money fights and not go by mandatory orders.
Kabayel (27-0, 19 KO) and Warren can really only hope, then, that Usyk chooses that fight to do next. Otherwise, the 39-year-old Usyk may just give up the WBC heavyweight title. Kabayel could then just be promoted to full world title status by the WBC, as he does already hold the interim belt, which he beat Zhilei Zhang to claim in February 2025.
It also is worth noting that the WBC has a tendency to simply do what they want to do, and if they would rather have the significant slice of sanctioning fees from Usyk vs Rico 2 instead of a smaller sum for Usyk vs Kabayel, well — it’s boxing. This is not an honest trade in this sense. So we’d have to wait and see.
Verhoeven has said he may appeal yesterday’s loss, feeling referee Mark Lyson stepped in to stop the fight after the bell had sounded to end the 11th round.
Warren believes Kabayel has every chance of beating Usyk, and that most importantly, he has earned his shot.
“He’s a very, very good fighter,” Warren said. “He’s got great hand speed, skills. I don’t know if people have seen his fights (but) he’s beaten everybody that’s been put in front of him. And he’s a real, real class act, a lovely guy. He can fight, and he deserves to be in the No. 1 spot.”
