Reigning heavyweight champ Oleksandr Usyk has already shown he can handle the big, big guys, with the Ukrainian now holding two wins over Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, and if the soon to be 38 year old doesn’t either retire or drop back down to the cruiserweight division – with both scenarios possible – Usyk could soon be facing another giant of a heavyweight.
Zhilei Zhang, a southpaw like Usyk, will be banging on the door for a shot at Usyk, the reigning WBC/WBA/WBO heavyweight champ, if he can defeat Agit Kabayel when the fight happens on that stacked Saudi card set for February 22. And Zhang’s co-manger Terry Lane, in speaking with Sky Sports, says “Big Bang” is the “second-best heavyweight on the planet behind Usyk.” Zhang will have to be accommodated by Usyk if he beats Kabayel, Lane says.
“If he beats Kabayel, he will have, again, beat another top-10 heavyweight, and will cement himself as the second-best heavyweight on the planet behind Usyk,” Lane said. “There is no question that should earn him a world title shot. Being world champion has been Zhilei’s aim from day one. We will work to make that happen in 2025.”
It would be fascinating to see if Usyk could chop down Zhang, maybe by late rounds stoppage, or if in Zhang, all approx 280 pounds of him, Usyk would meet his match. Usyk we know loves a challenge, and as he’s faced so many top fighters in their veritable backyard, maybe he would like the idea of defending his titles in what would be a huge fight in China. Usyk really does live for the challenge, for the thrill of competition, and maybe he could tick yet another box in his career by fighting in China?
But first Zhang, 27-2-1(22), who is no spring chicken at age 41, has to beat Kabayel, which is no sure thing. Kabayel of Germany is much younger than Zhang at age 32, and he is unbeaten at 25-0(17). Can Kabayel ruin Zhang’s big plans for next year?
Usyk we know will fight anyone, and that potential return fight with current IBF heavyweight champ Daniel Dubois aside, it could be argued that Usyk against the Zhang-Kabayel winner is the most interesting, and tough to pick, fight out there for him.
Who wins when Zhang and Kabayel collide?
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