Oleksandr Usyk weighs retirement as WBC deadline looms for Kabayel bout

Ukrainian heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk, 39, faces a WBC‑mandated deadline of June 30 to reach an agreement for a fight with interim champion Agit Kabayel. Team director Sergey Lapin said the bout will only proceed if a “serious commercial structure” – site fees, broadcaster backing and a suitable purse – is offered, adding, “It is possible that fans have already seen him in the ring for the last time.”

Usyk’s camp is also considering other options, including retirement, with a decision expected by the end of the week. The champion’s most recent fight was an 11th‑round technical knockout of kick‑boxer Rico Verhoeven at the Pyramids of Giza in May, a result that sparked controversy. Kabayel earned the interim WBC heavyweight title by stopping Zhilei Zhang in Riyadh and defending it in Germany. Saudi promoter Turki Alalshikh has publicly supported the matchup.

If Usyk declines the fight, he may vacate the heavyweight title, allowing Kabayel to be elevated to full champion. The outcome will shape the heavyweight division’s landscape for the coming year.