Connect with us

Boxing

Usyk has dropped one belt – will the WBC be next?

Published

on

Image: Usyk Has Already Dropped One Belt — The WBC Knows It

WBC draws its line

“After his next fight, Oleksandr Usyk MUST defend the WBC heavyweight title against (interim champion) Agit Kabayel, otherwise he will be stripped of the belt. Then he must fight the interim champion,” Sulaiman told Chris Mannix YouTube channel.

On paper, it creates a fork in the road. In practice, Usyk has already shown how he handles such situations.

After stopping Daniel Dubois in five rounds on July 19, 2025, to become the undisputed heavyweight champion, Usyk later vacated the WBO belt when he was ordered to defend against interim champion Fabio Wardley. He chose autonomy. The division adjusted.

Usyk currently holds the WBA, WBC and IBF titles. The WBC is allowing one voluntary defense because Kabayel was scheduled to fight in January. Then the order becomes mandatory. The belt is assumed to produce pressure. Usyk’s recent history suggests otherwise.

Kabayel is undefeated with a record of 27-0, and he gained his position thanks to his activity. He added stoppages to secure his interim spot and remained perceptible in a division full of viable contenders. Compact and physically powerful, he works on his body and constantly moves forward. This style makes for challenging rounds, even for elite players.

At 39 years ancient, such an opponent carries real sporting risk. He doesn’t get the same commercial attention as Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury or an emerging name like Moses Itauma. These fights bring in site fees, pay-per-view attention and global markets. They justify the scale.

Kabayel’s defense meets this requirement. This doesn’t significantly change the heavyweight discussion. For a champion who has already completed an undisputed streak, this distinction is significant.

Uncontested pursuit demanded compliance. You had to defend every lane and respect every order. This stage of his career demanded it.

When the WBO later ordered him to face Wardley, Usyk walked away instead. The market remained stable. His position has not changed. It told its own story.

Where is the lever

Elite heavyweights now operate with financial security and an established legacy. The bar no longer defines its value in the same way. If Kabayel becomes the next fight, it will be because Usyk wants it. Recent history suggests that, given more opportunity, the belt will become versatile again.

The WBC issued instructions. Whether or not it conveys true power is up to the master. Usyk has already shown that he can make his own decisions.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Boxing

Zuffa Boxing Dublin card confirmed for August 8 at 3Arena

Published

on

Zuffa Boxing has announced that its first event in Ireland, branded Zuffa Boxing 10, will take place on Saturday, August 8 at the 3Arena in Dublin. Organizers of the promotion, headed by Dana White, said details about the main event, joint performance and ticket sales will be announced soon.

According to the promotion, the card will be broadcast on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland and streamed on Paramount+ in the US and Canada. Its broadcasts in the UK and Ireland are covered by a long-term contract with Sky Sports announced in March.

The expected headliner of the Cork middleweight gala will be Callum Walsh (16-0, 11 KO). according to 42 and Irish boxing, although Zuffa has not confirmed this card. Walsh won Zuffa Boxing’s debut event on January 23 in Las Vegas with a unanimous decision over Carlos Ocampo and has not fought since. The Cobh native, trained by Freddie Roach, fought mainly in the United States, but once boxed in Dublin, headlining the 3Arena gala after his victory over Przemysław Runowski.

The 42 reports that Monaghan’s Aaron McKenna (20-0, 10 KO) is set to be the main support for an IBF middleweight world title fight against Italian Etinosa Oliha (22-0, 10 KO). Both pairs are expected to fight for the vacant belt that became available after Janibek Alimkhanuly was stripped of his belt following a failed anti-doping test. McKenna is third in the IBF rankings and Oliha is second.

Dublin will be Zuffa Boxing’s second card outside the United States. The first event, Zuffa Boxing 07, will take place this Saturday at the Bournemouth International Center in England, where former world cruiserweight champion Chris Billam-Smith will face Ryan Rozicki in a 10-round cruiserweight main event.

The August 8 date means the Dublin gala will take place a week after Queensberry Promotions’ show at the same venue, headlined by Pierce O’Leary against Mark Chamberlain, with Tyson Fury scheduled to appear.

Continue Reading

Boxing

Frank Warren says Tyson Fury will do what Daniel Dubois did to Joshua

Published

on

Image: Frank Warren Says Tyson Fury Will Do What Daniel Dubois Did To Joshua

Frank Warren believes Tyson Fury will not only beat Anthony Joshua when the long-awaited heavyweight clash finally happens, but also stop him.

The All-British clash is scheduled for November, after a delay from its earlier summer date. Warren confirmed that Fury signed a contract for the fight in January, and both men are expected to undergo interim fights before the fight becomes official.


When asked how he sees the fight developing, Warren made it clear he expected Fury to win and pointed to Joshua’s knockout loss to Daniel Dubois as a major factor.

“I think Tyson will win,” Warren told Secondsout, predicting a Tyson Fury knockout over Joshua.

“I think Tyson will stop him.

“Did you see him fight Daniel Dubois? That gives me that confidence. I was sure Daniel Dubois would do it and he did it, and I’m sure Tyson will do the same in brief order, no matter what catches him.”

Earlier in the interview, Warren also suggested that Joshua was still feeling the effects of the Dubois defeat.

“He has the specter and cloud of what happened when he fought Daniel Dubois hanging over him. So, you know, he’s vulnerable if he gets caught now,” Warren said.

Joshua is scheduled to return on July 25 against Kristian Pregna, while Fury is scheduled to fight his own warm-up fight before November. Warren said the location for the proposed blockbuster has yet to be determined, though he confirmed the fight remains signed and will likely take place later this year, provided both heavyweights win their fights.

Youtube video

Click here to sign up for our FREE newsletter

Related boxing news:

Categories Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury

Last update: 2026/06/04 at 23:14

Continue Reading

Boxing

World champion will be stripped of his title if he refuses to fight David Benavidez next: ‘That’s it’

Published

on

World champion to be stripped of title if he refuses to face David Benavidez next: “That’s it”

David Benavidez won the WBA and WBO cruiserweight world titles with his last fight, and the “Mexican Monster” may add to his collection in the future after one of the world champions was ordered to fight him under the threat of being stripped of his belt.

Last month I moved up from light heavyweight and dethroned Gilberto Ramirez in sensational styleBenavidez now holds the WBA (regular) and WBC featherlight heavyweight world titles, as well as his recently won unified cruiserweight crown.

As a result, the 29-year-old must decide whether he should return to the featherlight heavyweight scene or stay in the cruiserweight division, where he put in arguably the best performance of his career last time out after tuning out his fight with Jai Opetaia.

However, Benavidez was also named the WBC cruiserweight mandatory challenger and was ordered to fight WBC cruiserweight champion Noel Mikaelian, another who has been linked to a fight with Opetaia.

If Mikaelian refuses to defend the title against Benavidez, the WBC president announced in an interview for the WBC magazine that he would strip the Armenian of the belt. Boxing Scene.

“The WBC order is Mikaelian against Benavidez. That’s all. If he fights again, he will waive his obligations to the WBC.”

“[There is no deadline] at this time. I will be talking to different managers. This is the highest priority. I look forward to making sure that happens.”

If Mikaeilian decides to continue the fight with Opetaia and thus lose the world title, it can be expected that Polish-born interim champion Michał Cieślak will benefit. Either he will be elevated to full world champion and ordered to make his first defense against Benavidez, or he will be included in a vacant belt fight against the three-division world champion.

Continue Reading
Advertisement

OUR NEWSLETTER

Subscribe Us To Receive Our Latest News Directly In Your Inbox!

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

Trending