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Kabayel easily defeats Knyba; The world title fight with Usyk is approaching

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4 months ago

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Agit Kabayel was one step away from a world title fight with Oleksandr Usyk after he ruthlessly defeated Damian Knyba in three rounds on Saturday.

Kabayel (27-0, 19 KO), 33, left Knyba on shaky legs after landing multiple right hands in the third round, causing the fight to be stopped at the Rudolf Weber-Arena in Oberhausen in his native Germany. It marked a successful first defense of the interim WBC heavyweight title, which is secondary to the WBC world title held by Usyk.

Kabayel’s sixth straight shutout may have been a bit premature, but the end seemed inevitable for Knyba when Kabayel started landing precise right hands that left the Polish fighter on wobbly legs.

Kabayel had picked up some gigantic scalps recently – Zhilei Zhang, Frank Sanchez and Arslanbek Makhmudov – and while Knyba may not have had a great reputation, the way Kabayel dealt with him effectively was impressive.

“I was hoping to make a statement that German boxing is alive and well,” said Kabayel, who has been the biggest boxing star based in Germany since Ukrainian brother Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko defended their world heavyweight titles there for more than a decade.

When Kabayel asked the crowd who he should face next, the 12,000-strong crowd responded in one voice: “Usyk.”

“I defeated three monsters in the season in Riyad, now give me a world title fight,” Kabayel said.

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WBC, WBA and IBF world champion Usyk has been linked to fighting former WBC champion Deontay Wilder next, so Kabayel may have to wait to face the Ukrainian in the second half of this year.

However, this victory increases the likelihood of a fight with the Ukrainian in 2026, assuming Usyk does not decide to fight former champion Tyson Fury instead.

Kabayel, who won the WBC interim title last February by defeating Zhang by knockout, resisted a quick start from little-known Knyba (17-1, 11 KO) before opening up and hurting the Pole, who fell apart in the third round.

Knyba, 29, from Poland but based in Fresh Jersey, had not fought longer than eight rounds or had a fight scheduled to last 12 rounds before he climbed the ropes and faced former European champion Kabayel.

But the six-foot-two Knyba, who is four inches taller than Kabayel, didn’t seem out of place in his biggest test yet when he confidently attacked Kabayel in Round 1, landing a flurry of right hands and uppercuts.

Knyba left his mark on Kabayel already in the first round, and the German suffered an eye injury.

However, after a rapid start, Knyba Kabayel got used to his rhythm in Round 2 and then began loading up with hefty right hands in Round 3. In the final minute of Round 3, Knyba’s legs turned to jelly as a right hand reached the temple, and after more right hands landed, the referee stepped in to stop the fight.

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Boxing

Alan Chaves attacks Miguel Madueno in Las Vegas

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April 25, 2026

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Image: Alan Chaves Blasts Out Miguel Madueno In Las Vegas

Alan “Veneno” Chaves (22-0, 19 KO) defeated Miguel “Explosivo” Madueno (31-5, 28 KO) in the third round to win the WBO Latino lightweight title in the co-main event at Fontainebleau Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Chaves started the action early and found success with pointed shots once the fight started. The finish came when he landed a crushing left hand that dropped Madueno tough. Referee Harvey Dock waved it off at 1:26 of the third round. The power Chaves showed today makes him a threat to anyone at 135 or 140.


Damian Sosa annoys Freudis Rojas Jr.

Damian Sosa (27-3, 13 KO) defeated previously undefeated Freudis Rojas Jr. after 10 rounds by unanimous decision. (15-1, 11 KO) in the junior middleweight fight by 96-93 points. Sosa applied constant pressure early on, forcing Rojas to fight at a pace he was never comfortable with. He knocked down Rojas in the sixth round and maintained control with constant striking and excellent timing. Rojas had his moments, but Sosa’s experience and engine made the difference.

Nishant Dev stops Juan Carlos Guerra Jr.

Junior middleweight Nishant Dev (6-0, 4 KO) defeated Juan Carlos Guerra Jr. (6-3-1, 2 KO) in the second round of the scheduled eight-round fight. Dev came out pointed and aggressive, taking command with true combinations. He knocked down Guerra in the second round and kept the pressure going until the referee stopped it at the end of the session. The victory would give Dev another quick end and he could continue his early professional career.

Angel Barrientes passes Luis Espinoza

Featherweight Angel Barrientes (15-1, 9 KO) won an eight-round unanimous decision over Luis Espinoza (10-2, 4 KO) by three points, 80-72. Barrientes controlled the fight with spotless boxing and energetic attacking from the first bell. He beat Espinoza multiple times and gave little in return. Espinoza stayed on the pitch throughout the match, but Barrientes was in control throughout the match.

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Last updated: 25/04/2026 at 22:43

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Canelo warned his path back to undisputed status would be blocked: ‘I’m standing in his way’

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2 hours ago

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April 25, 2026

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Canelo warned his route back to undisputed will be blocked: “I’m in his way”

Canelo Alvarez could face some grave resistance if he tries to become a three-time undisputed 168-pound champion.

The 35-year-old hasn’t fought since last September, when he lost his four major super middleweight titles in a unanimous decision loss to Terence Crawford.

However, judging by his results, the Mexican is still able to compete at the world level, just not with such a great generation as Crawford.

But still, Canelo is ready to secure a world title shot in his next outingwhich is scheduled to take place on September 12 in Riyad, Saudi Arabia.

Among the names mentioned as potential opponents is Christian Mbilli, who was elevated from “interim” to full WBC champion shortly after Crawford’s retirement.

Earlier, the Frenchman achieved a fascinating 10-round draw with Lester Martinez, who was on the Canelo-Crawford card.

As for the other 168-pound champions, there’s also Jose Armando Resendiz and Osleys Iglesias, with Hamzah Sheeraz seeking to capture the vacant WBO world title on May 23.

Standing in his way is Al Begic, whom the 26-year-old must defeat on the card in the Oleksandr Usyk vs. Rico Verhoeven match before setting his sights on a fight with Canelo.

Ultimately, however, Sheeraz actually sees himself fighting the four-division world champion Ring Magazine that he can apply the WBO belt as a bargaining chip.

“I have to admit it would be nice to get Canelo. And of course it would be a lot more lucrative if I won the world title earlier.

“I’m sure his plan is to try and become undisputed [champion] again, God willing, I will become world champion on May 23. I will stand in the way of him becoming undisputed [champion].

“Maybe we will finally fight for all the belts. I feel like this fight can definitely blossom in the future.”

For an undisputed clash between Canelo and Sheeraz to take place, the pair must win their next fights well and together dethrone the remaining champions in their division.

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Mauricio Sulaiman claims that Crawford knew in advance that he would have to pay $300,000. dollars fee for WBC

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4 hours ago

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April 25, 2026

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Image: Mauricio Sulaiman Says Crawford Knew $300K WBC Fee Early

Mauricio Sulaiman says Terence Crawford was aware of the WBC’s reported $300,000 penalty charge long before his undisputed fight against Canelo Alvarez last September, providing a different version of the recent dispute over the champion’s title costs

The WBC president addressed the issue during a recent interview after Crawford publicly questioned why the organization would not honor terms that he believed had been accepted by other sanctioning bodies. Sulaiman said the amount had already been communicated in advance and was not a surprise once the fight was finalized.


“He knew well in advance what the WBC estimated for this particular fight and it was supposedly 300,000. That was the upper limit,” Ring Champs said of Crawford before his fight with Canelo.

Sulaiman added that this amount is lower than the percentage the organization says it can collect under its regulations. He said the WBC capped the fee rather than applying the full rate.

The dispute became a topic of discussion after Crawford publicly responded to previous comments related to the sanctions process. Sulaiman avoided escalating the exchange, saying he did not want to personally criticize Crawford.

“I’m not going to talk bad about Crawford,” Sulaiman said.

He also said that fighters and promoters receive contracts and terms before title fights are approved, describing the process as standard practice and not something created for a single event.

“There are contracts. When you as a promoter give in and get sanctioned, there are rules,” Sulaiman said.

When a player earns tens of millions, the standard 3% suddenly becomes sedate money, and that’s when the backlash usually begins.

The comments highlight a long-standing problem in boxing, where sanction fees are often accepted during negotiations but become controversial when vast funds are involved. Huge fights usually reveal how much power the belts still carry.

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Last updated: 25/04/2026 at 18:31

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