WBC orders Oleksandr Usyk to fight Agit Kabayel

WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman has insisted that Oleksandr Usyk must defend his titles against Agit Kabayel, after the Ukrainian’s planned voluntary title defence.

Usyk, the WBC, WBA and IBF heavyweight champion, has been permitted a voluntary defence in his next fight, which the unbeaten boxer reportedly wanted against Deontay Wilder.

However, Wilder chose to fight Derek Chisora, leaving Usyk in tatters, and at last week’s press conference for that fight, American’s manager Shelly Finkel said: “Look, Usyk came to us recently to fight. We didn’t know if that could happen, and we were on a trajectory to fight Chisora.”

Wilder is set to face Chisora on April 4 in London, United Kingdom.

Usyk’s manager, Egis Klimas, previously said that Wilder was one of the ‘big 3’ names from this generation that Usyk hadn’t faced. “And as well, it’s in the United States,” Klimas said.

Usyk’s next fight is unclear. In any case, Sulaiman has said that the Ukrainian must face the WBC (World Boxing Council) interim champion next after his voluntary fight.

“Kabayel was not available, because he had a fight scheduled in January,” Sulaiman told boxing analyst Chris Mannix. “So, [Usyk] requested a voluntary title defence, which is very customary.

“He was given that opportunity, and he must fight the interim champion next. That’s the ruling.”

Usyk, who is nearing his 40s, has recently vacated the WBO belt and is looking for only big fights ahead of retirement.

The Ukrainian became the undisputed heavyweight champion for the third time after knocking out Daniel Dubois in the fifth round at Wembley Stadium last time out on July 19.