Warren’s warning, reported by BoxingScene , comes as Usyk has already outlined a three-fight exit plan that does not include Kabayel. The WBC champion will face Rico Verhoeven, followed by the winner of Fabio Wardley vs Daniel Dubois, with Tyson Fury also targeted. That order leaves no room for a mandatory defense against the interim title holder.
Kabayel earned his position over a year ago, stopping Zhilei Zhang in the sixth round on February 22, 2025 to claim the WBC interim belt. He has remained active since then, including a stoppage win over Damian Knyba, but the path to the full title has not moved with him.
Queensberry is promoting the undefeated 33-year-old Kabayel (27-0, 19 KOs), putting Warren at the center of the push to force a decision from the sanctioning body. His position is that once Usyk completes his May bout, the WBC no longer has any justification to postpone the mandatory.
“Kabayel’s number one in the WBC, and the fight goes on in Egypt between Usyk and Rico Verhoeven, and after that the WBC will have to order the mandatory, and if they don’t, we will sue them,” Warren told Boxingscene. “I’m telling you, I’m not going to piss around about this. Agit deserves his opportunity.”
He went further and made it clear that he expected an immediate outcome.
“Fight restless or evacuate. It’s as simple as that.”
If Usyk’s three-fight schedule goes as planned, Kabayel could wait more than a year without access to the title he is in line to challenge for.
Warren’s threat shifts the pressure on the WBC to impose its own structure. If the organization allows Usyk to continue outside of that order, Kabayel’s position as interim champion risks becoming symbolic rather than actionable.
The WBC has already granted Usyk a special dispensation for a voluntary defense against Rico Verhoeven, a move that has drawn criticism from fans and pundits who see the bout as a “mismatch” given Verhoeven’s lack of professional boxing experience.
If the WBC continues to allow Usyk to pursue his retirement plan without facing Kabayel, they risk a protracted legal battle that could completely freeze the heavyweight title. For Kabayel, the danger is becoming a “forgotten” champion, holding a belt that gives him rank but no path to the actual championship until the division’s pound-for-pound king hangs up the gloves.
