WBC blocks Verhoeven rematch, confirms Usyk’s next mandatory fight
Oleksandr Usyk has held the belts for too long (photo: Getty Images)
Fans’ and Rico Verhoeven’s team’s attempts to secure an immediate rematch with Oleksandr Usyk have collapsed. The World Boxing Council (WBC) has officially blocked any talk of a second fight, confirming the next opponent for the Ukrainian holder of three heavyweight titles, according to a statement from WBC president Mauricio Sulaimán in an interview with BoxingScene.
Sulaimán draws a line: no rematches
Despite massive controversy surrounding the final mega-fight in Egypt, where Usyk secured a technical knockout victory in the 11th round, WBC leadership has taken an uncompromising stance. Protests from the Dutch kickboxer’s team and fan calls to overturn the result due to a referee’s mistake were ignored.
Mauricio Sulaimán made it clear that the organization will not undermine the rights of the legitimate challenger who has been waiting for his opportunity.
“Kabayel versus Usyk is next” Sulaimán stated firmly.
Review of the Cairo fight result
The main controversy in the boxing community stems from the fact that referee Mike Lyson stopped the bout after the final bell of the 11th round. Since Verhoeven was ahead on at least one judge’s scorecard, the stoppage remains heavily disputed.
However, the WBC president urged fans to calm down and confirmed that the result will not be reviewed:
“Live, at the heat of the moment, [the stoppage] seemed to be early,” Sulaiman said. “Rico was even winning the fight at some point. After looking at the replays and speaking with Lyson and with a cooler state of mind, I’m certain it was a correct stoppage. However, I fully understand those who didn’t like it,” the head of the organization concluded.
German boxer has been waiting for his star moment (photo: instagram.com/agitkabayel)
Who is Agit Kabayel: five facts about Usyk’s next possible opponent
Agit Kabayel is a 33-year-old German boxer of Kurdish origin who holds the WBC interim heavyweight title.
Undefeated record: Kabayel has fought 27 professional bouts without a single defeat, with 19 wins coming by stoppage (27–0, 19 KOs).
Upset specialist: The German gained global attention through major upsets in Saudi Arabia. He entered fights as an underdog but stopped previously undefeated Arslanbek Makhmudov (TKO 4), Cuban southpaw Frank Sánchez (KO 7), and experienced Chinese heavyweight Zhilei Zhang (KO 6).
WBC status: In early 2026, Kabayel defended his interim title by stopping Poland’s Damian Knyba in the third round. After that, the organization officially named him the mandatory challenger for the full title held by Oleksandr Usyk.
Physical profile and style: Kabayel is 191 cm tall with a 203 cm reach. He is not a classic knockout giant, but stands out for his endurance, relentless pressure, strong body work, and high boxing IQ.
Familiar with Ukrainian boxing: In 2019, Kabayel successfully defended his EBU European title by defeating experienced Ukrainian heavyweight Andrii Rudenko on points.
