Agit Kabayel decided to give thrills and excitement to the many fans who packed the Rudolf Weber-Arena in Oberhausen, and he did so in his own way, adopting a reckless tactic from the very first sound of the bell. In the end, it paid off: the German boxer of Kurdish descent defeated Poland’s Damian Knyba by TKO in the third round, retaining the WBC Interim heavyweight title and, with it, the hope of one day challenging world champion Oleksandr Usyk.
There was barely time to study his opponent’s characteristics, strengths, and style before Kabayel launched himself into attack, looking to close the distance and unleash his powerful punches at close range.
This gung-ho approach naturally exposed him to Knyba’s counterpunches. With a ten-centimeter height advantage and a massive fifteen-centimeter reach edge, the Polish fighter spent the entire first round throwing punches in volume and landing frequently.
What raised doubts about the hometown favorite’s blistering start was not so much the decision to press the accelerator right away — something we have come to expect from him — but rather his complete neglect of defense. Kabayel advanced straight on, without bending at the waist and without adequately protecting himself with his arms, as if he felt invulnerable.
The German clearly did not fear his opponent’s power, but his recklessness could have come at a high price. When he returned to his corner after the opening three minutes, he had already suffered a cut on the eyelid of his right eye, forcing his cutman to work overtime.
Kabayel adjusted his aim starting in the second round, which was far more balanced than the first. He slipped, blocked, and evaded a much higher percentage of punches, while also beginning to land some shots of his own, although Knyba’s constant movement prevented him from sustaining his offensive momentum.
However, a boxer standing over two meters tall and weighing 118 kilos can hardly move nonstop for very long. As soon as Knyba began to stand his ground in front of his opponent, he sealed his own fate. In the third round, Kabayel stunned the Pole for the first time with a right hand to the head that sailed over his opponent’s shoulder, immediately realizing that this was the key to finishing the fight.
Soon after, more violent right hands crashed into Knyba’s head. His reactions slowed and his legs became increasingly unsteady. Following yet another clean shot, referee Mark Lyson stepped in and waved off the contest — a decision some will likely call premature, but one that I personally found justified.
Kabayel therefore remains in the hunt for a world title opportunity thanks to a victory that, despite coming in a very short fight, clearly highlighted both his strengths and his weaknesses.
Once again, the German showcased the ferocity of his pressure, something modern, bulky heavyweights struggle to counter, quickly running out of gas. At the same time, he also exposed his defensive flaws, absorbing far too many punches — shots that, against a more lethal opponent, could have seriously put him at risk of being knocked down.
In light of what Oleksandr Usyk showed last summer at Wembley, when Daniel Dubois attempted to assault him head-on, it seems unlikely that Kabayel could rely on his usual style against the Ukrainian without paying a heavy price. Still, thanks to his unbeaten record and his recent run of convincing and spectacular victories, the German remains one of the most credible contenders for the world title at this moment in boxing history.