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Mike Tyson puts pressure on Oleksandr Usyk for his next fight

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Mike Tyson poses with WBC mandatory heavyweight challenger Agit Kabayel as the German contender displays a championship belt during a public appearance in Germany

Mike Tyson has joined the growing chorus calling for Oleksandr Usyk to fight Agit Kabayel again, amid continued uncertainty over the heavyweight champion’s future plans.

Appearing in a video posted to Kabayel’s Instagram account from the Berlin meeting, Tyson made his position clear.

“Come Usyk, come for us, baby. We need that money, baby, come for us,” said the former undisputed heavyweight champion.

The news came as Kabayel once again tried to get Usyk’s attention after years of working towards an opportunity he felt he already deserved.

Kabayel is getting more and more impatient

The undefeated German has been establishing himself as a must-see over the years and was officially confirmed by the WBC as Usyk’s next challenger following the champion’s controversial victory over Rico Verhoeven at the Pyramids of Giza.

WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman has already stated that the fight should take place before the end of the year.

“Agit is the WBC interim champion and mandatory challenger to Oleksandr Usyk,” Sulaiman said. “He deserved his stripes.”

Despite this position, the situation is still not uncomplicated.

Usyk still has a huge advantage as the heavyweight division’s biggest dynamic attraction and could, however, opt for a more lucrative rematch with Verhoeven.

The Germans are waiting

Klitschko’s former manager Bernd Boente recently told WBN that the Usyk vs. Kabayel will be the main event in Germany.

Boente believes the country’s enormous Ukrainian population would aid create a stadium atmosphere not seen in German boxing since Klitschko’s days.

Usyk’s fight with Kabayel would live up to all expectations. The German gets the chance he deserves, Usyk fulfills his mandatory duty, and Germany becomes one of the biggest heavyweight events in years.

Whether this will happen is a completely different matter.

Master without a punch?

If Usyk chooses Rico Verhoeven’s bigger payday instead, Kabayel could become heavyweight champion without pulling any punches.

The irony is that the opportunity he has been chasing for years may come through paperwork rather than victory in the ring.

This result would immediately create another problem. The German heavyweight champion is a valuable commodity, but filling a football stadium in the first defense requires the right opponent.

Former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder remains one of the few names available who could turn his title defense into a major event in Germany if the Usyk fight falls through.

Wilder is ranked seventh in the WBC rankings as of June 2026.

For now, however, Kabayel is focusing on the champion himself.

The WBC has already confirmed he is the mandatory challenger to Usyk, Boente believes the fight should take place at a German stadium, and Mike Tyson has publicly joined the campaign.

The final decision now rests with Usyk, even though Iron Mike publicly supported Kabayel’s call.


About the author

Phil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a boxing veteran with over 15 years of experience. Read the full biography.

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Daniel Dubois vs Fabio Wardley 2: Round-by-Round Live Updates and Results

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Daniel Dubois vs Fabio Wardley 2: Round-by-Round Live Updates and Results

Daniel Dubois will face Fabio Wardley in a rematch of a heavyweight slugfest from earlier this year, with Dubois defending the WBO heavyweight title he took from Wardley on that night.

Live coverage will kick off at 2 pm ET, and we’ll have results and updates during the four-fight, main card undercard, then live, round-by-round scoring and updates for the main event itself.

How to watch Dubois vs Wardley 2

Start time: 2:00 pm ET for main card, prelims begin at 11:00 am ET

Streaming: DAZN (Ultimate subscription or Pay-Per-View)

PPV Cost: As a standalone, one-off purchase Pay-Per-View, the price is $59.99 (or £24.99). With DAZN’s Ultimate tier, the show is included as part of your subscription.

Location: O2 Arena – London, England

Dubois vs Wardley 2 full undercard and running order

Live Stream: Dubois vs Wardley 2 Prelims

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Mannix and Mora Support Fabio Wardley in Quest for Vengeance

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"Mannix and Mora Support Fabio Wardley in Quest for Vengeance"

Fabio Wardley can turn his early success against Daniel Dubois into a rematch victory if he avoids exhausting himself chasing the finish. He proved he could hurt Dubois in their first fight. The harder task is keeping control when an opponent he has dropped continues coming forward.

Wardley scored two early knockdowns before Dubois recovered and stopped him. That leaves an opening for a different result, although better pacing alone may not be enough to prevent another punishing night.

Chris Mannix and Sergio Mora both back Wardley to win again on Saturday, with Mannix choosing him by stoppage. Mora believes Wardley’s eagerness to finish Dubois helped undo his promising start.

“If he just doesn’t punch himself out, he thinks about setting up that right hand, doesn’t get right hand happy,” Mora said to DAZN Boxing.

That is the adjustment Wardley needs to make under pressure. Once Dubois survived his biggest punches, Wardley needed something beyond another loaded right hand. Working behind his jab and putting punches together would give him more ways to attack without spending everything on a single finish.

Dubois deserves credit for surviving those knockdowns and returning to his jab. Mora believes his previous defeats helped him stay composed when Wardley hurt him. Wardley now has his own experience of a fight turning against him.

“I think he’ll be smarter after this fight. I think he’ll learn some lessons,” Mannix said. “I think Wardley wins by stoppage in this fight.”

Mannix’s biggest concern is what the first beating took out of Wardley. Learning the tactical lesson does not guarantee he will absorb Dubois’ punches the same way in the rematch.

Wardley’s power gives their picks a credible foundation. He has already put Dubois down twice. To complete the job, he needs to create another opening without allowing the pursuit of a knockout to leave him exhausted and exposed again.

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Boxing247.com is an independent boxing news publication covering the sport since 2001. It provides original reporting, fight analysis, schedules, results, and informed coverage of major fighters and events worldwide, backed by more than 25 years of professional boxing journalism.

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Fabio Wardleys Team Advocates for Strict Foul Monitoring Against Daniel Dubois

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"Fabio Wardley's Team Advocates for Strict Foul Monitoring Against Daniel Dubois"

Fabio Wardley’s team wants tighter control of Daniel Dubois’ head-first attacks in Saturday’s rematch, with manager Michael Ofo calling for stronger officiating after their first fight.

The concern is about Wardley being able to punch without Dubois driving into him with his head. Those collisions can interrupt an attack, knock a fighter out of position, and make him hesitate before throwing again.

Dubois recovered from two knockdowns to stop Wardley in May and take the WBO heavyweight title. Ahead of their return at London’s O2 Arena, Ofo has accused the champion of leading with his head and using a tackle during that fight.

“We’re calling for a stronger referee, because it’s needed,” Ofo told Sky Sports Boxing.

Dubois’ trainer Don Charles rejected the criticism, describing the opposing camp’s complaints as “insecurity and weakness.”

Wardley’s camp has a reasonable case for asking the referee to watch those entries closely. When Dubois comes forward behind his punches, head contact can make it difficult for Wardley to plant his feet and counter. Intent is difficult to establish, but repeated collisions still need attention.

That becomes especially important if Wardley hurts Dubois again. He needs the opportunity to follow up without a foul interrupting his work and giving the champion time to recover.

However, Wardley cannot build his approach around the referee intervening. His jab has to give Dubois something to get past, and combinations would make him less predictable than loading up on individual power shots. Moving after punching could also reduce the opportunities for Dubois to drive into him.

Wardley showed he could hurt Dubois in the first fight. The harder task is turning those moments into a finish while avoiding another punishing battle at close range. Firmer officiating could help, but his own adjustments will have to do most of the work. Wardley cannot rely on the third man to solve that puzzle.

If Dubois is going to be stopped from barreling in head-first, Wardley has to make the physical cost of doing so intolerable, just like Oleksandr Usyk did.

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BoxingNews24.com has delivered independent boxing coverage since 2007, including original news, fight analysis, schedules, and results. Our experienced boxing writers cover major fighters and events worldwide, with published content reviewed by editors for accuracy.

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