Germany has waited 95 years for a heavyweight world champion — and Bernd Boente, former manager of the Klitschko dynasty, exclusively told World Boxing News that he believes Agit Kabayel is finally ready to deliver, provided timing, patience, and boxing politics align.
Boente, who guided Wladimir Klitschko to global dominance, is now shaping a new generation of German heavyweights. As manager of rising stars Peter Kadiru and Viktor Jurk, and a long-time supporter of Kabayel, he remains central to Germany’s next heavyweight revival.
Boente: The Man Who Built The Klitschko Era
Before taking the reins of Klitschko Management Group in 2001, Boente’s résumé already read like a who’s who of boxing history. The former Sky Germany head of boxing and DAZN DACH analyst has reported on legendary nights, including Leonard vs. Hearns II, Tyson vs. Holyfield I and II, Bowe vs. Holyfield II and III, Moorer vs. Foreman, and Lewis vs. Holyfield.
With decades of experience managing champions, Boente knows the delicate balance between timing, talent, and boxing politics — a skill now applied to Kabayel’s long climb toward world glory.
Kabayel Waits While the Belts Spin
“With an undisputed champion like Usyk, waiting is always a problem for the official challengers,” Boente told WBN.
“The winner of Parker vs Wardley is next, and then hopefully Agit sometime in 2026. However, if Usyk retires before then, Kabayel could be crowned WBC champion almost overnight, a reward for decades of perseverance.”
Kabayel, unbeaten in 26 fights and fresh off dominant wins over Arslanbek Makhmudov, Frank Sánchez, and Zhilei Zhang, has held the WBC number-one contender spot since overhauling Deontay Wilder — yet finds himself caught in boxing’s political rotation between the four sanctioning bodies.
The Politics of a World Title
“These are the rules and agreements between the four major governing bodies based on the rotation system,” Boente explained.
“This was always the accepted procedure, also at the time when Wladimir held multiple world titles.”
Boente’s pragmatic view reflects decades of experience guiding champions through sanctioning-body obligations. His team remains focused, knowing that patience could soon pay off in gold.
Kabayel: The Complete Heavyweight
“Agit has developed excellently and recently showed his potential against three strong opponents in a row,” said Boente.
“In my eyes, Kabayel isn’t just a contender — he’s arguably the finest body-puncher in the heavyweight division today. He’s always well-prepared, has extremely strong nerves, and in Sükrü Aksu, he has a coach both tactically adept and trusted completely, who has been with him since the start of his career.”
Boente emphasizes that Kabayel’s combination of power, precision, and patience makes him a genuine threat to any champion in the heavyweight division.
A New German Heavyweight Dawn
Boente believes Kabayel’s rise could reignite a passion for heavyweight boxing in Germany not seen since the Klitschko era — and perhaps even longer.
“A world title for Agit would be something very special for German boxing and would give the sport a boost that hasn’t been seen since the Klitschkos. Agit would be the first German heavyweight world champion since the great Max Schmeling in 1930.”
With patience, timing, and Bernd Boente’s guidance, Kabayel now stands on the edge of history, ready to restore Germany’s heavyweight glory.
Bernd Boente — the architect behind the Klitschko Brothers’ domination — believes Agit Kabayel could soon lift the WBC heavyweight title, ending 95 years of waiting for a German world champion and reigniting the country’s love for heavyweight boxing.
About the Author
Phil Jay is a veteran boxing journalist with over 15 years of experience covering the global fight scene. As Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News (WBN) since 2010, Jay has interviewed dozens of world champions and reported ringside on boxing’s biggest nights.
[View all articles by Phil Jay] and learn more about his work in combat sports journalism.
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