That position became famous. Kabayel sits outside the money ring while holding the most dangerous tag in the division. He is not pursued by Anthony Joshua, ignored by Tyson Fury, and functionally invisible to Oleksandr Usyk. The belt he is holding is real. The opportunity it is supposed to guarantee was not.
That disconnect is the story of Kabayel’s career phase. He did not stall competitively. His recent run includes stoppage wins over Zhilei Zhang, Frank Sanchez and Arslanbek Makhmudov, three heavyweights who entered those fights with size, momentum or reputations that Kabayel systematically dismantled. The common thread was baking. He did not overwhelm them with speed or theatrics. He wore them and closed the show.
What that run produced was credibility without leverage. Kabayel has the appearance of a mandatory problem rather than a chosen opponent. When Usyk evacuated, the path did not clear. When the belts shuffled, Kabayel stayed where he was. The WBO title now rests with Fabio Wardley, and Kabayel remains in possession.
Knyba, at 6-foot-8 and undefeated, represents activity more than progress. His record was built without meaningful testing, and he enters unranked across the major sanctioning bodies. There is nothing inappropriate about the game. It simply does not answer any of the questions Kabayel is actually asking.
The battle takes place in Oberhausen and streams on DAZN. Kabayel said the world title remains the goal. This has been true for years.
At some point, staying ready stops looking like progress and starts looking like exile.
