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.