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Oleksandr Usyk narrowly escapes defeat, winning against kickboxing legend Rico Verhoeven via TKO in Round 11 in Egypt. This victory secures Usyk's WBC and Ring Magazine titles, but it wasn't without drama, as Verhoeven led on one scorecard at 96-94 after Round 10, with the other two at 95-95.
The aftermath raises questions about Usyk's next steps. He is mandated to face unbeaten heavyweight Agit Kabayel (27-0, 19 KOs), the WBC interim champion, if he wants to keep his belts. Kabayel, present in the ring post-fight, expressed his readiness for a showdown in Germany, highlighting the significant Ukrainian community there.
While discussions of a rematch with Verhoeven linger, Usyk’s obligation to face Kabayel takes precedence. Kabayel's promoter, Frank Warren, emphasizes that the focus must be on this mandatory fight, pushing for it to happen in the autumn.
Additionally, other mandatory challengers loom, including Frank Sanchez for the IBF and Murat Gassiev for the WBA, while Daniel Dubois holds the WBO title. Usyk’s path forward is clear: face Kabayel to retain his WBC title or risk losing it amid rematch talks.
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