Agit Kabayel has arrived as an elite heavyweight.
The undefeated German battled back from adversity to score a thunderous sixth-round knockout of Zhilei Zhang and capture the WBC interim heavyweight title on Saturday’s Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol 2 undercard at the Anb Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A crippling combination of punches to the body at the 2:29 mark of Round 6 left Zhang unable to answer the referee’s 10-count.
While he may have secured the biggest win of his professional boxing career, the night was far from easy for Kabayel (26-0, 18 KOs).
Zhang (27-3, 22 KOs), emboldened by a 46.5-pound weight advantage, stormed out of the gates with an aggressive approach early, controlling the ring, throwing punches in bunches and using his towering size to exert pressure. But that opening-round blitzkrieg didn’t last, and the 32-year-old Kabayel found his rhythm as the early frames wore on, tenderizing Zhang’s body with repeated jabs and power hooks to slow his 41-year-old foe.
Just as it appeared Zhang’s gas tank was reaching critical levels, “Big Bang” summoned a monster left hand that sent Kabayel toppling down to the canvas midway through Round 5.
Kabayel rose to his feet, however, and continued chipping away with heavy body shots before finally delivering a right hand directly to the guts followed by the sharp, fight-ending left hook to the liver that sent Zhang down to one knee for good.
With the win, Kabayel gets in line to challenge unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk, who was ringside to present the WBC interim belt to the victor.
Zhang falls to 3-3 over his past six bouts, including a 2024 majority decision loss to Joseph Parker.
Check out full results, highlights and Uncrowned’s round-by-round coverage for Saturday’s stacked Beterbiev vs. Bivol 2 fight card here.
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