If Oleksandr Usyk truly intends to limit the remainder of his career to just two or three more fights, the queue to challenge boxing’s heavyweight king is only going to grow longer.
The 38-year-old recently admitted as much and, with retirement edging ever closer, contenders are already positioning themselves for a shot at the Ukrainian’s crown. Usyk currently holds three of the four recognised heavyweight titles and remains unbeaten at the top level.
Discussions are already underway for Usyk (24-0, 15 KOs) to defend his belts against former WBC champion Deontay Wilder in the United States. Should he emerge victorious once again, and with his record intact, a return to Europe later in the year could be firmly on the agenda.
One man waiting patiently in the wings is WBC interim champion Agit Kabayel (27-0, 19 KOs). The German heavyweight electrified a partisan crowd in Oberhausen on January 10 with a destructive third-round stoppage of towering Pole Damian Knyba. Afterwards, Kabayel made it clear that a full world title shot is his next ambition — ideally against Usyk, or possibly WBO champion Fabio Wardley.
Kabayel’s manager, Spencer Brown, has echoed his fighter’s ambitions but accepts that patience will be required, with a potential showdown against Usyk unlikely to materialise until later in 2026 at the earliest. Speaking to Pro Boxing Fans, Brown revealed he has already held talks with WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman, though he remained guarded on the details.
“I can’t say too much, but he basically said it will come when we’re ready. It will come. But Agit is our champion. We’ll treat him like a champion. Usyk’s not got a mandatory. So, he can do whatever he wants and fight whatever he wants. But there is a six-month window and we need to adhere to that.”
Usyk last faced a German opponent in 2017 during his cruiserweight reign, when Marco Huck attempted — unsuccessfully — to unseat him at Berlin’s Max-Schmeling-Halle. Based on Saturday night’s atmosphere in Oberhausen, a Usyk–Kabayel clash could attract a crowd well beyond arena capacity, with a stadium setting a realistic possibility.
Brown believes the fight would deliver both commercially and competitively.
“I think it’d be some fight between these two [in a stadium]. It’d be incredible. The atmosphere would be incredible. There are a lot of Ukrainians here [in German]. Lot of Kurds. The Germans. There was a lot of English here tonight … So, all signs are great.
“All we can do is put it on him and see if he’ll do it. He’s very game. He’ll fight anybody. He doesn’t care what backyard you’re in. He’ll fight anybody.”
Usyk’s proven willingness to travel — and to face challengers on their own turf — ensures that a showdown with Kabayel remains a realistic possibility. With time running down on the champion’s career, every contender knows the same thing: opportunities at the heavyweight summit are becoming fewer, and none can afford to be missed.
