Warren Pushes Kabayel For Usyk Shot, Rejects Verhoeven Rematch

Frank Warren is demanding his fighter Agit Kabayel get the next shot at Oleksandr Usyk and says he will oppose any Verhoeven rematch.

Kabayel, who holds the WBC interim heavyweight belt and sits at No. 2 in The Ring's heavyweight rankings, has been forced to wait while Usyk defended his unified titles twice since Kabayel stopped Zhilei Zhang in February. The German watched from ringside Saturday night in Giza as Usyk dug deep to halt kickboxer Rico Verhoeven in the 11th round of their crossover bout, per The Ring.

Warren Targets Autumn Date for Kabayel-Usyk

Warren told Sky Sports he will not accept talk of an Usyk-Verhoeven sequel. "Whatever happens, they're talking about maybe doing a rematch with Usyk and Rico. We're not going to stand for that," he said. "Usyk's been there long enough and [Kabayel] wants his moment. And that's what we'll be pushing for with WBC and hopefully we get it over the line and do that sometime in the autumn."

Kabayel has been inactive at the elite level but stayed sharp with a January homecoming win over unbeaten Damian Knyba in front of 12,000 fans at Oberhausen's Rudolf Weber-Arena. Warren believes the 33-year-old has the tools to end Usyk's reign, particularly after watching the Ukrainian labor against Verhoeven, an outstanding kickboxer but a boxing novice.

"He's a very, very good fighter," Warren said of Kabayel, according to The Ring. "He's got great hand speed, skills. People have seen his fight with Zhang. He's beaten everybody he's had put in front of him and he's a real, real class act."

Usyk next decides whether to grant Kabayel the mandatory or pursue other options. Warren is lining up his case with the WBC now.

Source: ringmagazine.com