- Agit Kabayel defends his WBC heavyweight title against Nelson Hysa on November 28 at the Merkur Spiel-Arena in Düsseldorf
- Hysa confronted Kabayel ringside after his win on the Itauma-Hrgovic card, and the fight is now confirmed despite talk of a pullout
- My prediction is Kabayel by stoppage in the second half of the fight, with a Dubois-Wardley winner waiting after
Kabayel vs Hysa Is Finally Official
Right then. Agit Kabayel will make the first defence of his WBC heavyweight title in Germany on November 28, and the man in front of him is Nelson Hysa. The venue is the Merkur Spiel-Arena in Düsseldorf, a football stadium, which tells you everything about how big Queensberry think this homecoming can be. For a champion who has spent far too long fighting abroad, that is a proper night.
It has not been a smooth road to the announcement. Hysa got in Kabayel's face ringside after his win on the Itauma vs Hrgovic card, there was talk of a pullout from a planned meeting, and then the fight was confirmed anyway. Make no mistake, the noise has done the job. People are talking about this one.
Why I Back Kabayel
Kabayel is the more complete heavyweight. He is heavy-handed, he is patient, he walks opponents onto a right hand they do not see, and he does it in front of his own people. If you know, you know: this is a man who dismantled Zhilei Zhang and has been doing the quiet, serious work at the top of the division for years.
What Hysa Brings
Hysa is an unbeaten Albanian puncher with a knockout-heavy record, and he will have plenty of Albanian fans in that stadium too. He comes forward, he throws with intent and he will not be frightened. The question is what he has done against someone who can take a shot and hit back harder. Honestly, I am not convinced he has been tested like this.
The Bigger Heavyweight Picture
This also keeps Kabayel busy while Daniel Dubois and Fabio Wardley sort out their rematch. Whoever comes through that one will want a conversation with the WBC champion, and a dominant night in Düsseldorf makes that conversation a lot louder. With Fury vs Joshua hogging the headlines, Kabayel is in danger of being overlooked, and he should not be.
The Prediction
Let's not beat around the bush. Hysa will have his moments early, the crowd will be loud, and Kabayel will weather it. From round six or seven the body shots start to bite and the right hand lands cleanly. Kabayel by stoppage, somewhere between rounds eight and ten. Brilliant night for German boxing, and a clear statement to the rest of the division.