WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman on Tuesday confirmed that interim champion Agit Kabayel is the mandatory challenger for heavyweight titleholder Oleksandr Usyk. Speaking to Boxingscene on May 26, 2026, Sulaiman simply stated that “Kabayel versus Usyk is next.” The announcement follows Usyk’s controversial 11th-round TKO victory over Rico Verhoeven on Saturday at the Pyramids of Giza, a result that has sparked debate over the timing of the stoppage but cemented Usyk’s three-belt dominance.
The directive clarifies the immediate future for Usyk, who currently holds the WBA, IBF, WBO, and WBC heavyweight championships. While some fans called for an immediate rematch for Rico Verhoeven, the WBC is insisting on its ranking order. Kabayel, who was present in the ring for the post-fight interviews in Egypt, earned his position through a string of dominant performances against top-tier heavyweights.
Agit Kabayel has maintained an unblemished professional record of 27-0 with 19 knockouts. He secured his status as the primary challenger by stopping Frank Sanchez, Zhilei Zhang, and Damian Knyba in three consecutive bouts. As of January 2026, both The Ring and BoxRec ranked Kabayel as the second-best active heavyweight in the world, making this a high-stakes encounter for the aging Ukrainian champion.
The WBC formalizes the Agit Kabayel mandate
Mauricio Sulaiman noted that the WBC allowed Usyk to skip Kabayel for a voluntary defense specifically because the interim champion was unavailable during a scheduled January window. “He was given that opportunity and he must fight the interim champion next,” Sulaiman said back in February. Now that the voluntary defense is complete, the sanctioning body expects Usyk to comply with the ruling rather than pursuing other interests.
Frank Warren, the promoter for Kabayel, has been vocal about the necessity of this defense. Warren has previously called for the WBC to enforce the mandatory or strip Usyk if he chooses a different path. While Mauricio Sulaiman has said he does not like to “threaten” champions with stripping their belts, he remains confident that Usyk will honor his obligations. This puts significant pressure on the champion’s final career plans.
At 39 years old, Usyk’s career in the ring is reportedly winding down. Earlier in the week of May 23, 2026, the champion admitted he anticipates only two more fights before retirement. If the Kabayel fight proceeds as ordered, it may well be the penultimate appearance for the man who previously defeated Tyson Fury in two separate 2024 bouts — first in May and again in a December rematch.
Evaluating the fallout of the Rico Verhoeven stoppage
The catalyst for this formal order was the conclusion of the Egypt card on May 24. Mauricio Sulaiman admitted that, in the heat of the moment, the 11th-round stoppage of Verhoeven seemed early, especially as the kickboxing star appeared to be winning at various points. However, after reviewing replays with referee Lyson, the WBC President stated he is now certain it was the “correct stoppage,” despite the backlash from some spectators.
Agit Kabayel himself offered a mixed review of the Cairo event. While he noted that the show was localized “for the fans” and labeled it a “show fight” rather than a pure sporting competition, he acknowledged the business side of the sport. “I think this is an easy night for Usyk,” Kabayel told reporters, while simultaneously asserting that the champion “must” now face him to satisfy the competitive demands of the heavyweight division.
Saudi influence and potential European venues
The logistics for Kabayel versus Usyk are already being discussed by the sport’s most influential financiers. Turki Alalshikh, the Saudi boxing power broker, has expressed interest in staging the event at a soccer stadium in Germany. This would provide Kabayel with a massive home-turf advantage and capitalize on his growing European popularity after his high-profile wins over Sanchez and Zhang.
An alternative plan involves a 2027 card in Istanbul, Turkey. This location is viewed as ideal for Kabayel due to his Turkish descent and the potential to draw support from an estimated 20 million Kurds in the country. While Alalshikh has floated the idea of a Verhoeven rematch taking place in Holland at a later date, he seems focused on satisfying the WBC mandate first.
This ruling effectively pauses talks for other major matchups. Contenders like Daniel Dubois, whom Usyk defeated to become a two-time undisputed champion in July 2025, will have to wait for the mandatory cycle to complete. For Kabayel, this is the fruition of a patient ascent through the rankings; for Usyk, it represents the final hurdle in maintaining his three-belt status before he finally walks away from the sport.
