Reigning heavyweight champ Oleksandr Usyk has already proven he can deal with the large, massive guys, with the Ukrainian now holding two wins over Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, and if the quickly to be 38 12 months previous doesn’t both retire or drop again right down to the cruiserweight division – with each situations doable – Usyk might quickly be going through one other large of a heavyweight.
Zhilei Zhang, a southpaw like Usyk, shall 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 battle occurs on that stacked Saudi card set for February 22. And Zhang’s co-manger Terry Lane, in talking with Sky Sports activities, says “Large Bang” is the “second-best heavyweight on the planet behind Usyk.” Zhang should be accommodated by Usyk if he beats Kabayel, Lane says.
“If he beats Kabayel, he may have, once more, beat one other top-10 heavyweight, and can cement himself because the second-best heavyweight on the planet behind Usyk,” Lane mentioned. “There isn’t a query that ought to earn him a world title shot. Being world champion has been Zhilei’s goal from day one. We’ll work to make that occur in 2025.”
It could be fascinating to see if Usyk might chop down Zhang, possibly by late rounds stoppage, or if in Zhang, all approx 280 kilos of him, Usyk would meet his match. Usyk we all know loves a problem, and as he’s confronted so many prime fighters of their veritable yard, possibly he would really like the concept of defending his titles in what can be an enormous battle in China. Usyk actually does dwell for the problem, for the fun of competitors, and possibly he might tick one more field in his profession by combating in China?
However first Zhang, 27-2-1(22), who isn’t any spring hen at age 41, has to beat Kabayel, which isn’t any positive factor. Kabayel of Germany is far youthful than Zhang at age 32, and he’s unbeaten at 25-0(17). Can Kabayel destroy Zhang’s massive plans for subsequent 12 months?
Usyk we all know will battle anybody, and that potential return battle with present IBF heavyweight champ Daniel Dubois apart, it could possibly be argued that Usyk towards the Zhang-Kabayel winner is probably the most fascinating, and difficult to select, battle on the market for him.
Who wins when Zhang and Kabayel collide?
