By: Sean Crose
The interim WBC heavyweight title was on the line Saturday in Saudi Arabia as the 27-2-1 Zhilei Zhang took on the undefeated 25-0 Agit Kabayel. The bout, which was part of the massive Artur Beterbiev-Dmitry Bivol rematch card, was scheduled for 12. Zhan tagged his man hard right off the bat in the first. Kabayel responded with a body shot combo. Kabayel began the second with a surprisingly aggressive attack. It worked well for him. Kabayel continued his attack in the third.
Zhang may well have been rattled in the fourth. Kabayel was clearly tiring his enormous competitor. Kabayel kept surging forward in the fifth – until Zhang put him on the mat. Kabayel got back to his feet within the count, but the point had been made. The sixth saw Zhang almost go down, but the referee puzzlingly broke up the action. Still, it was clear by this point that Zhang was in trouble, for he was now eating punches. And indeed, Zhang officially went down – and was counted out – before the round had ended.
He may have been overlooked before Saturday, but now there’s no doubt Agit Kabayel is a force of note in the heavyweight division.
