Deontay Wilder is long past his prime and is not currently part of Agit Kabayel’s immediate boxing plans, according to veteran boxing insider Bernd Boente. Speaking exclusively to World Boxing News, the renowned manager and pundit revealed that the newly elevated WBC heavyweight champion is firmly targeting high-profile unification fights in 2027, leaving the American former titleholder on the outside looking in for now.
While Wilder remains a potential future opponent for Kabayel due to his enduring commercial appeal and high ranking, Boente emphasized that the former WBC heavyweight champion’s best days are firmly behind him. Despite these lingering concerns regarding Wilder’s current competitive level, his position near the top of the WBC rankings could eventually force the issue, especially if alternative bouts fail to materialize on the heavyweight landscape.
Boente brings extensive, high-level heavyweight experience to his assessment of the current division. He is widely recognized in the sport for successfully guiding both Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko during their dominant championship eras. Today, Boente remains closely connected to the pulse of the sport as a pundit for DAZN DACH, where he covers major heavyweight matchups, including Daniel Dubois versus Fabio Wardley II and Agit Kabayel’s upcoming clash with Nelson Hysa.
World Boxing News previously reported that Wilder has maneuvered back into championship contention, securing a path that could potentially grant him another opportunity to fight for the coveted green and gold belt he famously held for five years. With fellow elite heavyweights currently tied up in other directions—Tyson Fury committed to facing Anthony Joshua and Frank Sanchez actively pursuing the IBF championship—Wilder could emerge as the leading available contender once the WBC rankings are completely settled.
Boente on Wilder’s Decline
When asked directly whether Wilder remains a realistic and desirable target for Kabayel moving forward, Boente made it clear that Queensberry Promotions and the German champion’s management team have much grander ambitions on their horizon.
"Queensberry and Agit’s team are determined to stage unification bouts—and further events in a stadium—next year," Boente told World Boxing News exclusively. "Deontay would only be an option if that plan falls through. His name still carries significant weight, and as a former champion, he remains highly marketable—even though, as evidenced by his clear defeats against Zhang and Parker or in his last fight against Chisora, he is long past his prime."
Wilder’s previously discussed prospective fight with Oleksandr Usyk remains unresolved, but his lofty number-one position with the WBC could take on vital importance should that major contest fall through. While securing a top ranking does not automatically translate into an immediate mandatory challenge under every circumstance, Kabayel could eventually find himself officially ordered by the sanctioning body to face Wilder if the "Bronze Bomber" stubbornly remains the highest available contender. Such a scenario would inevitably leave the newly crowned German champion with a complex decision to make regarding his carefully mapped-out unification schedule.
Germany’s Heavyweight Revival
Kabayel etched his name into boxing history by becoming Germany’s first recognized heavyweight world champion since the legendary Max Schmeling accomplished the feat back in 1932. His elevation to full WBC champion status came directly in the wake of Oleksandr Usyk’s decision to vacate the belt, opening the door for a new era in European boxing. Boente is deeply passionate about seeing Kabayel capitalize on this historic achievement to restore Germany’s proud status as a premier destination for major international heavyweight boxing.
"I hope that Agit and Queensberry continue to stage many major fight nights in Germany and revive the sleeping giant that has been dormant since the Klitschko era: big-time boxing in Germany," Boente stated. "Agit is the first German World Heavyweight Champion since the legendary Max Schmeling, and Agit has great potential both inside and outside the ring."
Furthermore, Boente firmly believes that Kabayel belongs comfortably among the elite tier of the heavyweight division, sitting just behind the consensus pound-for-pound great Oleksandr Usyk alongside dangerous contenders like Daniel Dubois and Filip Hrgovic.
"To me, behind the giant of our time, Oleksandr Usyk, the likes of Agit Kabayel, Daniel Dubois, and Filip Hrgovic represent the absolute pinnacle of the heavyweight division. All three have very different fighting styles," Boente explained. "I hope they face each other in unification bouts next year so that we can celebrate another undisputed champion following Oleksandr Usyk. And of course, I would like it to be Agit Kabayel."
Before any grand stadium unification fights can be officially finalized, Kabayel must first successfully navigate his upcoming test against Nelson Hysa on November 28. Even so, Boente’s remarks underscore that the primary strategic focus for the German champion centers entirely on major stadium spectacles and world title unifications. While Deontay Wilder may not currently feature prominently in those immediate plans, his persistent presence at the summit of the WBC rankings means he cannot be completely discounted if the heavyweight landscape shifts unexpectedly in the months ahead.
