Agit Kabayel back in action – but Nelson Hysa as an opponent is a disappointment
Agit Kabayel He finally returns home. ON January 10, 2026He will defend himself WBC short-lived heavyweight title on Rudolf Weber Arena at Oberhausen, GermanyLive on Dazn. This is his first fight on his own land since 2023. The same should feel great. But the opponent? Nelson “The Albanian Eagle” Hysa (23-0, 21 KO) – And emotions die there.
The Hysy record looks shiny – 23 wins, 21 knockouts – but it’s smoke and mirrors. Don’t be fooled by the album. Twenty -three wins, twenty -one knockout … sounds scary until you look at who scraped. Parade of supple accents, padded plates, guys, nobody remembers five minutes after the bell. 41 Hysy, undefeated, because nobody put it in deep water. And yet he was occupied by WBA #7 and WBO #9 – what says more about sanctioning the authority’s policy than merits. The shiny “continental” stripes he kept? They don’t mean squat. His CV is a parade of unknown, fine names and regional work stopping.
Nobody blames Kabayel – but it’s still a nap
Look, Kabayel gained a return home and tuning. Fighters must remain keen. But this duel just doesn’t move. This is not a leap forward, it is not a threat and will not wave outside Germany. Fans want to see Kabayel with guys who matter, not another padded record that comes to pay.
. Rudolf Weber Arena Will roars, the locals will love to see their man back. All right. But for a heavyweight image? This night will disappear when it ends. If Kabayel breaks Hysa, the world shrugs. If he is sloppy, it even hurts.
Sure, good to maintain activity. For all others who hope to start 2026 – that’s not.
Undercard – German talent gets the spotlight lightweight
At least Undercard has some intrigue. Promoters set a presentation of German perspectives and surnames:
This is a great scene for teenage German fighters to get eyeballs on the Dazna card and in front of a crowded home crowd. For them it is a great chance to explode.
Amy Kaplan is a box of boxing since she was 10 years ancient, which means that she spent most of her life, explaining to people that yes, they really prefer nights of fighting at parties. Now, writing to Boxing News 24, it covers everything from the fight for the title of world champion to perspectives swinging as at the day of payment. It combines acute analysis with sarcasm, calling for boxing policy and crossing the spin with the release of the press to give fans stories that actually matter.
“I think one or two more fights,” Ramirez told Fight Hub TV when asked about his long-term plans. “I have been practicing this sport for a long time.”
Ramirez, 33, said that while he still wants to continue his career for now, he is already thinking about how his career will end, not how long it can be extended. Ramirez said he has achieved key goals in the sport, including becoming world champion in two divisions, but still wants to perform at the highest level before he retires.
That pursuit begins with Benavidez, a fight that Ramirez believes will define his status and push his name further to the top of the sport.
“I will beat him. That’s my plan, to fight Opetaia,” said Gilberto about his desire to fight former IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia.
It’s a shoot-for-the-stars plan for Ramirez, but you can’t blame him for wanting to fight Opetaia. The biggest obstacle is not only the fight itself, but also where Jai Opetaia currently sits. Jai is now the face of Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing.
At the same time, Ramirez hinted at one last twist before his retirement. When asked about moving up again, he left the door open to a possible heavyweight fight, even admitting that he may not be the biggest fighter in the division.
“Why not?” Ramirez talked about moving up to heavyweight. “That would be amazing.”
If Zurdo loses to Benavidez, his plan for Opetaia will likely evaporate and he may just go straight to the heavyweight event for one last payday before he suspends them.
Dan Ambrose is a boxing journalist at Boxing News 24, respected for his direct analysis and extensive coverage of the global fight landscape. His reports focus on the most crucial fights, division development and the most discussed stories in sports.
The final decision may come after the Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao rematch drama ends.
Earlier this year, it was announced that Mayweather and Pacquiao were set to fight professionally more than 10 years after their first meeting, with the event streaming live on Netflix and taking place on September 19 at The Sphere in Las Vegas.
In recent weeks the duel was in doubt, after Mayweather stated that the fight would instead be an exhibition, while Pacquiao continues to insist that it must be a fully sanctioned fight.
Since it is currently unknown whether this will actually come to fruition, this has probably given the clearest signal that this will no longer happen.
Conversation with FightHypepromoter Eddie Hearn said he thinks Netflix can now focus on the WBC welterweight title fight between Ryan Garcia and Conor Benn, essentially replacing the Mayweather-Pacquiao event.
“It’s all a mess. I’m surprised Netflix got into this whole circus… Netflix is modern to boxing, but they need to be a little more solid in the routine because you can’t actually call the fight and it just falls by the wayside and it just doesn’t look great.”
“NO [I don’t believe it will happen]not now. Netflix is only going to do so many fights and the Benn-Garcia fight is now said to be on September 12 or whenever that happens, so obviously this is the fight to replace Mayweather-Pacquiao.
“If it happened Mayweather-Pacquiao, they are committed to that fight, but if it doesn’t happen they will want another fight and from the sound of it it will be Garcia vs. Benn.”
The world title fight between Garcia and Benn has been widely discussed this month, and if Hearn is right, it could spell the end of any hopes of Mayweather and Pacquiao fighting again.
“I think my size and youth should be a gigantic advantage. It gives me an even better chance to win,” Nakatani told The Ring.
Inoue’s reluctance to make the jump to 126 pounds at featherweight may be the most truthful admission of his physical limitations.
Inoue has fought fighters who hydrated to be hefty, but Nakatani is elevated. At 5’7″ or 5’8″, he has the skeletal leverage of a natural featherweight or super featherweight.
Most of Inoue’s opponents end up with confined time as they have to rush to hit him. Nakatani can theoretically sit outside and throw a punch without putting his chin in the red zone.
The numbers support this belief on paper. Nakatani will enter with a three-inch height advantage, a slight reach advantage and a five-year age difference. He also has natural size from climbing three weight classes, which he plans to exploit for the full distance rather than chasing an early finish.
“This fight will 100% be a war and I think I will win by decision once I overcome everything Inoue throws at me,” Nakatani said.
In his December victory over Sebastian Hernandez, Nakatani was forced into a fierce fight in which both men landed heavily, taking 273 punches in a back-and-forth fight that went the distance. He showed toughness, but also suggested he could get hit when exchanges open up.
It’s not that Inoue is afraid of fighting a bigger opponent, but more that he is a perfectionist who knows that when you lose your physical advantage, you have to rely completely on your endurance. Nakatani is the first fighter in a long time who can actually make Inoue look petite in the ring.
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