The World Boxing Council has instructed former heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk to face mandatory challenger Agit Kabayel next or risk being stripped of his WBC title.
WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman confirmed the ruling following Usyk’s 11th-round TKO victory over kickboxer Rico Verhoeven in Egypt last month.
According to Sulaiman, the WBC accepted Usyk’s petition for a voluntary defence, but it was now time for the mandatory fight.
He said: “The WBC ruling was very clear. We accepted Usyk’s petition for a voluntary defence, which has now taken place. Now the mandatory fight is Usyk against the interim champion Kabayel.”
Kabayel, who remains undefeated, has been next in line since knocking out Zhilei Zhang in February 2025.
The German fighter retained the WBC interim title with a third-round stoppage of Damian Knyba in January 2026 and has been waiting for his shot at the undisputed crown.
Kabayel recently gave Usyk one week to decide whether he will face him and defend his titles, stating plainly: “I can beat Usyk”.
The situation gained steam after promoter Frank Warren threatened legal action against the WBC if the mandatory order was not officially issued.
Warren had pushed for the fight to be mandated before Usyk’s Verhoeven bout, but the WBC allowed the voluntary defence first.
Now that the Verhoeven fight has occurred, the organization will not permit an immediate rematch unless Usyk chooses to vacate one of his three belts.
Sulaiman ruled out a quick Verhoeven rematch, stressing that Kabayel must come next for the unbeaten champion.
Usyk currently holds the WBC, WBA Super, and IBF heavyweight titles after vacating his WBO belt in December 2025.
Failure to fight Kabayel would result in Usyk losing the WBC crown, which would significantly complicate plans for a unified heavyweight defense.
Calls from Saudi Arabia’s High Commissionaire Turki Alalshikh for a Verhoeven rematch have not swayed the WBC’s position.
A common consensus exists that Kabayel should face Usyk next, given his status as interim champion and his unbeaten record.
The fight would likely take place in Germany, with two possible stadiums already mentioned as venues under consideration.
