Warren Demands WBC Action After Usyk-Verhoeven Fight

The Reality

Warren has a very strong argument. Kabayel earned his position as the WBC Interim Champion by knocking out Zhilei Zhang—a high-risk, high-reward fight that was supposed to guarantee him the next shot at the full title. When a sanctioning body like the WBC allows a champion to bypass a mandatory challenger in favor of a “crossover” opponent with no boxing pedigree (Rico Verhoeven), it devalues the belts. 

Conversely, many argue that a fighter of Usyk’s stature—an undisputed champion in two divisions who has defeated Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury, and Daniel Dubois—has earned the right to “dictate terms” for his final fights. The WBC often grants “voluntary” defenses to its most prestigious champions to allow for mega-events that generate massive revenue and global interest (like a fight at the Pyramids of Giza).

Warren’s threat of a lawsuit is likely less about going to court and more about leverage. If Usyk retires as planned without fighting Kabayel, Warren’s legal pressure ensures that Kabayel is immediately elevated to full champion or put into a high-purse vacant title fight. Essentially, Warren is “doing right” by his client by ensuring that even if Kabayel doesn’t get the Usyk fight, he gets the professional and financial compensation he is owed for being the #1 contender.