Interim champions rarely enter the ring during live post-fight interviews unless there is serious interest after the match. The Riyadh Season could have wasted the entire build-up to the Rico feud and the possibility of it happening again. Instead, they put Kabayel directly in the picture while Usyk was still standing in the ring.
The timing also coincided with the comments Turki Alalshikh made last Thursday before the fight card in Egypt. Turki revealed that he already has plans for a future Usyk event in Turkey next year, which only fueled speculation about Kabayel due to his Turkish roots and his mandatory WBC status.
If the fight does happen, Syk may be dealing with something completely different from the heavyweight he faced during his title run. Kabayel does not fight like Rico Verhoeven, Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, or Daniel Dubois.
He is a pressure fighter who keeps coming forward, attacks the body regularly, and forces his opponents into uncomfortable trades for long periods of time. Standing next to Usyk in the ring after the fight, Kabayel also looked physically imposing. The size of his upper body suddenly stood out when he looked at the face. Physical abuse can be a serious problem.
That looked like one of the few areas of vulnerability in Usyk’s heavyweight game, and Kabayel might be the best body shooter in the division right now. He does not occasionally touch the body to make combinations. You stay in it round after round and gradually wear the opponent down physically. Frank Sanchez learned that the hard way earlier this year.
Sanchez shot clean at Kabayel and seemed to hurt him at times, but Kabayel kept coming forward, kept attacking on the ground, and finally stopped him. Many heavyweights back down after receiving Sanchez’s punishment. Kabayel continued to apply pressure until the fight changed. That style would create a much different feel for Usyk than the Rico fight.
Verhoeven had success with power, poor timing, and physicality, but Usyk finally found an opening on top with unloaded combinations late in the 11th round. Rico was seen injured during the final sequence before the suspension and it looked like he was going to fall after that. Kabayel may not break down in the same way.
If Usyk is dragged into a tight internal battle against himself, there may be little chance of relying on a late stoppage. Kabayel has shown that he can take punishment, keep pushing forward, and turn battles into battles.
Saturday night may have accidentally created a conspiracy in the Kabayel fight that was completely absent before the game.
Rico earned respect for his performance, but when Riyadh Season brought Kabayel into the ring alongside Usyk, it began to look like the people behind the event may have had another plan in mind.
