Warren’s warning, reported by BoxingScene, comes as Usyk has already set out a three-fight exit plan that does not include Kabayel. The WBC champion is set to face Rico Verhoeven, followed by the winner of Fabio Wardley vs Daniel Dubois, with Tyson Fury also targeted. That sequence leaves no space for a mandatory defense against the interim titleholder.
Kabayel earned his position more than a year ago, stopping Zhilei Zhang in the sixth round on February 22, 2025, to claim the WBC interim belt. He has stayed active since, including a stoppage win over Damian Knyba, but the path to the full title has not moved with him.
Queensberry promotes the unbeaten 33-year-old Kabayel (27-0, 19 KOs), placing 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 has no justification left to delay the mandatory.
“Kabayel’s number one in the WBC, and the fight goes on in Egypt between Usyk and Rico Verhoeven, and afterward the WBC will have to order the mandatory, and if they don’t, we will sue them,” Warren said to Boxingscene. “I’m telling you, I’m not going to piss around with this. Agit deserves his opportunity.”
He went further, making it clear he expects a direct outcome.
“Fight Agit or vacate. It’s as simple as that.”
If Usyk’s three-fight schedule plays out as planned, Kabayel could be left waiting well over a year without access to the title he is in line to challenge for.
Warren’s threat shifts the pressure onto the WBC to enforce its own structure. If the organization allows Usyk to continue outside that order, Kabayel’s position as interim champion risks becoming symbolic rather than actionable.
The WBC has already granted Usyk a special exemption for a voluntary defense against Rico Verhoeven, a move that has drawn criticism from fans and pundits who view the matchup as a “mismatch” given Verhoeven’s lack of professional boxing experience.
If the WBC continues to allow Usyk to follow his retirement plan without facing Kabayel, they risk a protracted legal battle that could freeze the heavyweight title entirely. For Kabayel, the danger is becoming a “forgotten” champion, holding a belt that grants him rank but no path to the actual championship before the division’s pound-for-pound king hangs up the gloves.
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