Agit Kabayel’s Sixth-Round KO Stuns Zhilei Zhang
Agit Kabayel stopped Zhilei Zhang in the sixth round of their heavyweight bout on February 22, 2025, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The win earned Kabayel the vacant WBC interim heavyweight title and made him the first boxer to stop Zhang as a professional. The finish came at 2:29 of round six, after a fight that swung sharply when Zhang dropped Kabayel in the fifth. Kabayel recovered, returned to his body attack and forced the count on the Chinese southpaw.
Body work changes the fight
Zhang opened aggressively, using his size and left-handed power to make Kabayel work at close range. Kabayel answered by investing in punches to the body. The pressure began to show as the rounds passed, with Zhang slowing and breathing hard between exchanges. Kabayel’s plan carried risk: he had to stay in range of one of boxing’s most dangerous punchers to land those shots.
The fifth round brought Zhang’s strongest moment. A short left hand put Kabayel on the canvas for the first knockdown of his professional career. He rose and finished the round without being stopped. The knockdown could have shifted the fight, but Kabayel did not abandon his approach. He came out in the sixth and renewed the attack downstairs.
Kabayel finishes Zhang
Kabayel’s body shots forced Zhang to take a knee late in round six. Zhang could not beat the referee’s count, and the contest ended at 2:29. The stoppage gave Kabayel a major heavyweight breakthrough and ended Zhang’s long run without a stoppage defeat. Kabayel improved to 26-0 with 18 knockouts; Zhang moved to 27-3-1 with 22 knockouts.
The victory was part of the “The Last Crescendo” card in Riyadh, headlined by the rematch between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol. Kabayel’s interim belt made him a leading contender for a full world-title opportunity. He later defended the interim title against Damian Knyba, stopping him in the third round in January 2026. In June 2026, after Oleksandr Usyk vacated the WBC heavyweight title, the WBC elevated Kabayel to full champion. A first defense against Nelson Hysa is scheduled for November 28, 2026.
Kabayel’s win over Zhang remains a defining performance because it combined recovery with a clear tactical adjustment. He was hurt and put down, but kept targeting the body until Zhang could no longer continue. It was also a significant result for Zhang, who had previously beaten Joe Joyce twice and knocked out Deontay Wilder. The fight showed the danger and payoff of Kabayel’s pressure-heavy style against an elite heavyweight puncher.
Sources: WBC fight report and records; The Ring’s fight report; WBC on Kabayel’s elevation to full champion; WBC listing for the scheduled Hysa defense.
Sources
Tags: Boxing, Combat Sports
