Unbeaten WBC interim heavyweight champion Agit Kabayel says his January homecoming won’t be a tune-up—and he’s openly targeting fellow Queensberry fighter Daniel Dubois as the dance partner.
Queensberry announced Kabayel’s return for January 10 at Rudolf Weber Arena in Oberhausen, his first bout in Germany since March 2023. The opponent is TBD, but Kabayel made his preference clear after Fabio Wardley’s stoppage of Joseph Parker in London.
“I have a homecoming fight… But the problem we have no opponent,” Kabayel told The Ring. “I heard Daniel Dubois has no opponent in the UK. Why not Kabayel versus Daniel? I’m ready for everyone. I hate trash talk. Is it a good fight for the fans? I think so.”
Why Dubois makes sense
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Same promoter: Both Kabayel (26-0, 18 KOs) and Dubois (22-3, 21 KOs) are with Queensberry, smoothing negotiations.
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Timing: Dubois is expected to return early 2026 after a July 19 KO loss to Oleksandr Usyk; Kabayel wants a meaningful name for January.
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Rankings & profile: The Ring lists Kabayel No. 3 and Dubois No. 4 at heavyweight—made-for-TV stakes.
Kabayel’s rise: three scalps, all in Riyadh
Since December 2023, the 33-year-old German has authored a breakout run with consecutive stoppages of:
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Arslanbek Makhmudov — three knockdowns, all to the body (TKO 4)
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Frank Sanchez — first pro loss for the Cuban contender (KO)
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Zhilei Zhang — body-shot finish in Round 6 (KO), Feb. 22
Kabayel hasn’t fought since the Zhang win, and a German homecoming has been in demand: “All fans in Germany wait for this fight.”
The Dubois question
London’s Dubois, 28, owns destructive power but has fallen short at the elite level stopped by Usyk (twice) and Joe Joyce. Given his rebuild timeline, it’s unclear if he’d entertain a high-risk away date against a surging Kabayel in January. Still, the matchup would carry real consequence in a division jockeying beneath Oleksandr Usyk and the spring schedule.
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Robert LaMar is a writer for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @RobertLaMar26
