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Usyk U-Turn reduces the chances of Kabayel vs Itauma for the WBC title in Germany

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Agit Kabayel and Moses Itauma celebrate victories as potential WBC heavyweight title rivals

Oleksandr Usyk may be the only person standing between Moses Itauma and the fastest route to a shot at the WBC heavyweight title.

The undefeated British prospect could find himself on the verge of being a championship contender this summer – but only if the division’s current ruler decides not to fight the mandatory challenger next.

Usyk has already planned for the end of his career, outlining a three-fight retirement plan that will start with Rico Verhoeven in Egypt and then potentially move on to the winner of Fabio Wardley vs. Daniel Dubois and a trilogy fight with Tyson Fury.

“Rico is first. Second, Wardley or Dubois wins. Third fight is my friend ‘Greedy Belly’ Tyson Fury,” Usyk said on his Ready to Fight app, discussing the schedule he hopes to follow.

This roadmap leaves little room for WBC interim champion Agit Kabayel, even though the German holds the mandatory position.

The WBC position remains unchanged

The sanctioning body reiterated its position in its March 2026 “Status by Division” update, confirming that Usyk is cleared to fight kickboxer Verhoeven on May 23 in Giza, Egypt.

“Champion Oleksander Usyk has been granted a voluntary defense. Usyk vs. Rico Verhoeven on May 23 in Giza, Egypt. The winner must then fight mandatory interim champion Agit Kabayel.”

The clarification strengthened the WBC’s stance following criticism of the crossover fight. However, the champion’s situation remains fluid.

Kabayel interrogates Usyk

Kabayel has already expressed his frustration with the uncertainty surrounding his long-awaited title shot.

In an interview with RTL/ntv and sport.de, the German suggested that Usyk’s priorities may have moved away from heritage.

“I always had great respect for Usyk’s sporting achievements and said: ‘Hey, he’s not afraid of any challenges and he keeps his words.’ But the only thing he cares about is money; everything else is uninteresting to him. Now I noticed it again, extremely clearly,” Kabayel said.

The undefeated fighter strengthened his position with constant season stoppages for Riyad Frank Sanchez and Arslanbek Makhmudov, before adding knockout victories over Zhilei Zhang and Damian Knyba.

These performances definitely pushed Kabayel into the obligatory interim champion conversation, and he was irritated when he heard Usyk’s initial three-man wish list.

“How can he not name his number one ranked opponent, his mandatory challenger? It’s just melancholy that he would rather fight Dubois or Fury for the third time, even though he has already beaten them both twice,” Kabayel added.

“I have a large question mark in my head right now.”

Queensberry/Riyad season

This will take advantage of the opportunity

Usyk has since softened his previous stance on the WBC injunction.

“Maybe I will fight Kabayel – maybe I won’t fight Tyson Fury for the third time and I fight Kabayel instead,” the Ukrainian said when asked about the situation.

“I’m just giving you my plan, but it’s not written in stone. Maybe it’s possible that I’m fighting Agit. He’s a great fighter and very astute.”

If Usyk ultimately chooses a different path after the Verhoeven fight, Kabayel could suddenly be elevated to full champion status.

This scenario would immediately put Moses Itauma in the conversation as the No. 3 starting defenseman. Itauma recently demolished Jermain Franklin in Manchester to cement his place as the future of the division.

Itauma is heavily shunned, but Kabayel is known to be ready to tackle any major challenges in this weight class.

If Usyk hadn’t been blocking the path, promoter Frank Warren would almost certainly have turned his attention to Kabayel defending his interim title against an emerging British heavyweight, potentially this summer in Germany.

Such a fight would push Itauma straight into a WBC title fight much sooner than expected. With Kabayel expected to inherit the WBC belt if a fight with Usyk slips away, Warren may still consider the fight a possibility in the coming months.

Lawrence Okolie weighs the tank ahead of the fight on the Usyk vs. Dubois 2 card
Leigh Dawney/Queensberry

Framed areas

Another name trying to get into the equation is Lawrence Okolie.

The former cruiserweight and bridge champion currently holds the WBC silver heavyweight title and has repeatedly called for a fight with Kabayel.

Earlier this year, Okolie posted a photo on social media of the German challenger sitting on a chicken and labeled him a “self-proclaimed boogeyman.”

Okolie will face Tony Yoka in Paris on April 25 in a scheduled defense of his silver title, but he still positions himself as a potential opponent should Kabayel’s situation change after the Egyptian fight.

For now, the championship order is clear. Kabayel is the mandatory challenger.

However, if Usyk decides not to pursue this path after the Verhoeven fight, the obstacle will disappear and Moses Itauma, aka Okolie, could suddenly find himself one fight away from the WBC heavyweight title.


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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Pierce OLeary vs. Mark Chamberlain Live Results: Updates and Highlights

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Pierce O'Leary vs. Mark Chamberlain Live Results: Updates and Highlights

LIVE COVERAGE

World Boxing News provides live results and updates from Dublin as Pierce O’Leary faces Mark Chamberlain at super lightweight.

Queensberry Promotions returns to the 3Arena with an action-packed card headed by the unbeaten Irish star O’Leary, who meets former British champion Chamberlain in the main event.

The undercard also features Gary Cully, Reece Bellotti, Sean McComb, Steven Cairns, Ben Fail and several unbeaten Irish prospects.


Pierce O’Leary vs Mark Chamberlain Results

Times are Local – IST

17:46

Gary Cully stopped Lee Reeves in the tenth round to improve to 20-2.

Cully overcame a fifth-round point deduction for repeatedly losing his gumshield before dropping Reeves twice in the final round to force the stoppage.

The victory marked Cully’s 11th knockout win as a professional.

17:01

Sean McComb returned with a comfortable six-round points victory over Miguel Antin.

McComb won every round on the referee’s scorecard, claiming a 60-54 decision to improve his record to 22-2.

16:31

Machlan Arthur improved to 2-0 with his second straight knockout by stopping Ryan Frost in the fourth round.

Arthur dropped Frost twice in the final session before the referee waved the contest off at 1:05 of round four.


Remaining Bouts

• Pierce O’Leary vs Mark Chamberlain – IBO World Super Lightweight Title (12)

• Royston Barney-Smith vs Reece Bellotti – Vacant IBO Inter-Continental Super Featherweight Title (10)

• Gary Cully vs Lee Reeves – Super Lightweight (10)

• Steven Cairns vs Senan Kelly – Super Lightweight (10)

• Ben Fail vs Craig O’Brien – Super Welterweight (10)

• Bobbi Flood vs Tariq Davis – Super Welterweight (6)

• Adam Olaniyan vs Jonathan Claudio Sauco – Heavyweight (4)

• John Joe Carrigan vs Sean Murray – Super Welterweight (4)

• Sami Hamed vs Bela Istvan Orban – Super Welterweight (4)


Queensberry

Preview

Pierce O’Leary tops a major night of boxing in Dublin as the unbeaten Irishman takes on Mark Chamberlain for the IBO World super lightweight title.

O’Leary enters the contest looking to continue his rise through the rankings against the experienced Chamberlain, who aims to return to winning ways after a draw in his third outing since suffering the lone defeat of his professional career.

The chief support sees Royston Barney-Smith meet Reece Bellotti for the vacant IBO Inter-Continental super featherweight title.

Gary Cully also returns in an intriguing domestic clash with fellow unbeaten Irishman Lee Reeves, while Steven Cairns faces Senan Kelly in another all-Irish encounter.

Sean McComb, Ben Fail, Bobbi Flood, Adam Olaniyan, Machlan Arthur, John Joe Carrigan and Sami Hamed also feature on the Queensberry Promotions card.

Updates will be added below as the action unfolds in Dublin, with more live coverage on World Boxing News.


About the Author

Phil Jay is the Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News (WBN), a BWAA-acknowledged boxing news website founded in 2010. A veteran boxing reporter with 16 years of experience, he has interviewed world champions, broken international exclusives, and reported ringside from major events. His work is published worldwide through WBN and distributed on platforms including Apple News.

Read Phil Jay’s full bio and latest stories.

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Barry McGuigan: Ryan Garcia Faces a Dangerman in Conor Benn at 147 lbs

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Barry McGuigan: Ryan Garcia Faces a "Dangerman" in Conor Benn at 147 lbs

Hall of Famer Barry McGuigan has named one half of the main event between Ryan Garcia and Conor Benn as the “dangerman” at 147lbs.

The two welterweights will collide at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena on September 12, with Garcia making a first defence of his WBC world title.

He claimed the belt by dethroning Mario Barrios with a unanimous decision victory in February, which followed his surprising points loss to Rolando Romero in May 2025.

Interestingly enough, this defeat came shortly after his year-long doping ban, which he served on account of testing positive for ostarine ahead of his majority decision victory over Devin Haney.

The result of their showdown was then ruled a no-contest, with Garcia subsequently moving up to welterweight after failing to keep below the 140lb limit.

It now seems the 27-year-old is competing at a more natural weight while Benn, who tested positive for clomifene in 2022, has not made 147lbs since his second-round finish over Chris van Heerden that same year.

Speaking with talkSPORTIrish boxing icon McGuigan suggested that this – as well as the 29-year-old’s technical flaws – could prove a major factor against Garcia.

“[Benn’s] got that genetic code from his dad, and he’s got that explosiveness and everything else. But he is predictable – you can see when he’s going to throw.

“You ask yourself: is Garcia just a little bit too sharp for him? A little bit too cute. I think Garcia’s finally found the weight he’s most suitable [for]. I think he’s a dangerman at 147[lbs].

“Maybe Conor Benn has left it a little too late to make 147[lbs] again. I think that could be his Achilles’ heel. I make Garcia a slight favourite but would never write off Conor Benn – he’s got that fighting heart.”

Benn comes off a unanimous decision victory over Regis Prograis in April, which followed his two middleweight encounters with Chris Eubank Jr last year.

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Devin Haney Updates Fight Strategy After Keyshawn Davis Withdraws from Title Shot

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"Devin Haney Updates Fight Strategy After Keyshawn Davis Withdraws from Title Shot"

Devin Haney’s immediate future has been thrown into uncertainty after Keyshawn Davis pulled out of their mandated contest on Friday.

The pair had been ordered to collide for Haney’s WBO world title, with Davis having been named as the sanctioning body’s mandatory challenger at 147lbs.

Multiple reports then suggested that the 27-year-old was offered $3m by Top Rank, his promoter, only for ‘The Businessman’ to reject what would have been a career-high payday.

Subsequently, their bout went to a purse bit hearing, where Top Rank trumped Teofimo Lopez’s Takeover Promotions with a sum of $8,550,000.

This therefore gave Bob Arum’s outfit the promotional rights and, as per the usual 75/25 split in favour of the defending champion, Davis would have been entitled to a share of $2,137,500.

Since Thursday’s auction, though, Davis has excluded himself from the fight and left Haney without an obvious opponent for his first welterweight title defence.

Taking to social mediaWBO president Gustavo Olivieri explained that his organisation must now provide their champion with a solution.

“The WBO hereby confirms receipt of written notice from counsel on behalf of Keyshawn Davis advising that he will NOT accept the 25% purse split adjudicated pursuant to the official WBO purse bid proceedings and, accordingly, will NOT participate in the WBO welterweight mandatory championship contest against Devin Haney.

“In light of the foregoing, the WBO Championship Committee and Ratings Committee will convene to proceed in accordance with the WBO world championship rules and regulations. The applicable ruling will be rendered and published in due course.”

At this stage, it remains to be seen whether Haney will be immediately ordered to face a new mandatory challenger or, given the situation, have the opportunity to make a voluntary defence.

Either way, the 27-year-old has not fought since dethroning Brian Norman Jr in November and is surely eager to return to action.

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