Interim champions are not usually waved in the ring during a live post-fight interview unless there is serious interest behind the match. Riyadh Season could have spent the entire segment surrounding the Rico controversy and possible rematch. Instead, they put Kabayel directly in the picture while Usyk was still standing in the ring.
The timing is also consistent with comments Turki Alalshikh made last Thursday ahead of the fight card in Egypt. Turki revealed that he already has plans for a future Usyk event in Turkey next year, which immediately fueled speculation about Kabayel due to his Turkish roots and his WBC mandatory position.
If the fight happens, Usyk could be dealing with something completely different than the heavyweights 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, constantly attacking the body and forcing opponents into awkward exchanges over long stretches. Standing next to Usyk in the ring after the fight, Kabayel also looked physically enormous. His torso size immediately stood out during the face-off. Hitting the body can become the biggest problem.
This looked to be one of the few vulnerable areas in Usyk’s heavyweight bout, and Kabayel may be the best body puncher in the division right now. He doesn’t occasionally touch the body to set up combos. He stays on it round after round and slowly physically wears opponents down. Frank Sanchez learned that the hard way earlier this year.
Sanchez landed clean shots on Kabayel and seemed to hurt him at times, but Kabayel kept marching forward, kept attacking underneath and finally stopped him. Most heavyweights back up once they absorb the punishment from Sanchez. Kabayel continued to apply pressure until the fight changed. That style could create a very different experience for Usyk than the Rico fight.
Verhoeven found success with power, awkward timing and physicality, but Usyk finally found openings on top and unloaded combinations late in the 11th round. Rico was visibly injured during the final series before the stoppage and appeared to collapse afterwards. Kabayel may not break down in the same way.
If Usyk is dragged into a tough infighting against him, there may be less opportunity to rely on a late break. Kabayel has already shown he can absorb punishment, continue to push forward and turn fights into wars.
Saturday night may have inadvertently created intrigue around a Kabayel fight that didn’t fully exist before the attack.
Rico earned respect with his performance, but the moment Riyadh Seisoen brought Kabayel into the ring alongside Usyk, it started to look like the people behind the event might already have another direction in mind.
