Nearly 100 years after Max Schmeling, Agit Kabayel is once again a German heavyweight boxing world champion.
The 33-year-old from Bochum was declared champion by the World Boxing Council (WBC) after Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk relinquished his three remaining titles on Friday.
«Unbelievable. From today, I am the WBC Heavyweight World Champion,» Kabayel wrote on Instagram. «Words cannot describe what I am feeling right now. Thank you to each and every one of you for the support on this journey. This success belongs to all of us.» He intends to «do everything» to «hold onto this belt for a long time and add more titles to my collection.»
WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman confirmed on Saturday via an Instagram post that the WBC board had declared Kabayel champion. The Mexican is pictured with the new world champion in his post, with Kabayel wearing a German national football team jersey.
Although Usyk gave up his belts, he has ruled out retiring. «There will be more to come,» the 39-year-old said in an Instagram message. The former unified champion most recently held the WBA, WBC, and IBF belts.
Usyk last successfully defended the WBC title in Giza against the Dutchman Rico Verhoeven. Kabayel entered the ring afterward and reiterated his demand for a fight.
Usyk, as before, responded evasively. The WBC had recently ordered a fight between Usyk and Kabayel, who has won all 27 of his professional fights. Schmeling was world champion until 1932.