JAKARTA - German heavyweight Agit Kabayel is on the list of alternative opponents for Oleksandr Usyk if the plan to fight Deontay Wilder fails.
Kabayel is the best performing challenger in the heavyweight division at the moment. He holds the WBC interim belt, putting him in a position to be a mandatory challenger against Usyk - the ruler of the WBA, IBF, and WBC belts.
Sergey Lapin who is the director of Usyk's team said that the fight against Kabayel was a very possible option so they were open to arranging the fight.
"In the top heavyweight division right now, there is no safe opponent. All top fighters are threats. Kabayel is definitely a possible option," he said as quoted by Talksport.
Kabayel previously asked for the opportunity to fight Usyk after he recorded a knockout (KO) victory in the third round against Damian Knyba of Poland earlier this month at the Rudolf Weber Arena, Germany.
Usyk also seems to have been touched by the 33-year-old boxer's performance, who managed to sell out the 13,000-capacity Rudolf Weber Arena in less than a week.
"In terms of playing style, he can also be troublesome. Pressure, speed, physical strength. This will be a big fight in Europe with strong business potential," said Sergey.
Currently, Deontay Wilder is still at the top of the list of targets being hunted by Usyk. However, the latest report appears to associate The Bronze Bomber with a fight against Derek Chisora.
Sergey said that until now negotiations for the Usyk vs Wilder fight are still ongoing, but no agreement has been reached by both parties.
"We are moving calmly and professionally. After everything is agreed upon, it will be announced officially. We are only considering the biggest and most logical option," he said.
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