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Agit Kabayel makes u-turn on facing the man he said he’d never fight: “He’s number 1”

Sheldan Keay

1st July, 2026

Agit Kabayel makes u-turn on facing the man he said he’d never fight: “He’s number 1”
Image credit: Getty

Agit Kabayel has had a change of heart when it comes to taking on one of the big names in the heavyweight division.

Kabayel recently became WBC heavyweight champion after he was elevated from interim status due to Oleksandr Usyk’s decision to vacate his world titles.

The German has earned his position after a string of impressive wins in recent years, claiming knockouts over the likes of Zhilei Zhang, Frank Sanchez and Arslanbek Makhmudov.

As he now decides who to make his first world title defence against, one fighter that it seemed wouldn’t be in the running was two-time world champion Tyson Fury, after Kabayel previously told Pro Boxing Fans that he saw ‘The Gypsy King’ as a ‘brother.’

“I am not interested in a fight with Fury, he is my brother. He has helped me so much in my career, when I fought with Makhmudov, he supported me and I have no interest [in that fight].”

With the WBC belt now around his waist, Kabayel has now altered that view, telling IFL TV that he thinks a match-up against Fury is the biggest fight that can be made.

“I fight with everyone. Fury is the number one contender, why not? Kabayel vs Fury in Germany or the UK at Wembley Stadium. A fight with Fury is the biggest fight we can make right now. It will sell out the stadium in 4 weeks easy.”

For now Fury’s focus is elsewhere, with his long-awaited showdown with Anthony Joshua planned for later in the year, provided that ‘The Gypsy King’ can first come through a straightforward warm-up bout with Mariusz Wach on July 24.

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