Frank Warren has warned Oleksandr Usyk that he “wouldn’t stand” for the Ukrainian to entertain the prospect of a rematch with Rico Verhoeven instead of fighting Agit Kabayel.
Usyk survived an almighty scare, stopping Verhoeven in the final second of round 11, just as the Dutch kickboxer threatened to pull off one of boxing’s biggest upsets in Giza.
The WBC world heavyweight champion got rematch talks underway when promoter Turki Alalshikh took the stage and said Verhoeven’s performance had changed the conversation.
Kabayel is the WBC’s mandatory challenger for Usyk and risks being stripped of the belt if he chooses to face another opponent – a decision Queensberry Promotions boss Warren strongly advises against the titleholder making.
“[Kabayel] has beaten everybody he’s put in front of him, and he’s a real, real class actor, a nice guy, and he can fight,” Warren shared. Sky Sports. “He deserves to be in the top spot and he’s been there for a while.
“They are talking about maybe doing a rematch with Usyk and Rico [Verhoeven]we will not stand for that.
“Usyk has been there long enough and he wants his moment and that’s what we’re going to push for with the WBC and hopefully get it over the line and do the same time in the fall.
Agit Kabayel celebrates retaining the WBC interim world heavyweight belt
“If he doesn’t take it, he’ll have to leave it or be stripped, it’s that simple.
“You’re a champion, you defend the belts, that’s what you’re there for, if you don’t defend them then you’ve got to give them up and let other people have the opportunity to build their name.
Warren: Verhoeven surprised everyone
Oleksandr Usyk risks losing his title belts if he chooses another challenger
Despite Warren’s preference of opponent, the promoter was more than complimented by Verhoeven, who wowed audiences worldwide by running the unbeaten Uysk close in only his second every professional fight.
“I thought it was going to be a pretty routine type of job for Usyk, but it didn’t turn out that way,” Warren said.
“Old Rico, he showed a lot of heart, a lot of desire and he showed some skills and he was very aggressive in his movements and the way he came forward.
“For me, [Verhoeven] won the match. I didn’t understand the score. I really thought he was ahead by a few laps.
Oleksandr Usyk stops Rico Verhoeven in the 11th round of their WBC heavyweight title fight in Egypt
“I feel the referee could have let it go on. That said, the referee is not a timekeeper. That’s not his job. It’s when he feels it’s appropriate to stop a fight. That’s what he has to do.
“But I feel he could have let it go on, given where they got to in the 11th round, but he was close to the action. It was his decision and it turned out to be a very, very exciting fight and a big surprise.”
Watch Chris Billam-Smith vs Ryan Rozicki at the Zuffa Boxing show in Bournemouth on June 6, live on Sky Sports.