Agit Kabayel Stops Damian Knyba in Three

Oberhausen, Germany - Agit Kabayel 27-0 (19 KOs) successfully defended his WBC Interim Heavyweight title on Saturday night, stopping unbeaten Polish challenger Damian Knyba 17-1 (11 KOs) in the third round in front of a raucous home crowd at the Rudolf-Weber-Arena.

The Opening Exchanges

The bout began with real intrigue and an unexpectedly strong start from the challenger. Knyba, with a clear height and reach advantage, set the pace early behind straight rights and uppercuts. He marked Kabayel around the right eye and forced the German to negotiate danger from the outset. Kabayel responded with body work, but the opener belonged to Knyba, shifting the arena’s energy and briefly changing the rhythm of the expected homecoming.

Adjustments and Momentum

In Round 2, the fight’s shape began to change. Knyba continued to find success walking Kabayel onto straight shots and uppercuts, but the German contender closed the gap and went to work. Chopping rights, short hooks, and body shots started to land as Kabayel worked his way inside. The round was competitive, but Kabayel’s pressure, positioning, and investment downstairs hinted at a momentum swing.

The Finish

Round 3 provided the answer. Kabayel opened with a lead hook, then layered in body work and precise combinations. A pair of clean one-twos staggered Knyba near the halfway mark, and a cut opened as Kabayel pressed forward with authority. A heavy right hand rocked Knyba badly with under a minute to go, and sustained pressure forced the referee to intervene. It was a clinical finish — earlier than expected, but very much in line with Kabayel’s identity once he solves range.

What It Means for Kabayel

From a sporting standpoint, Kabayel delivered the kind of performance expected from a seasoned contender circling the top of the division — but he did it sooner than most forecasted. He absorbed a strong start, adjusted, and imposed his structure without allowing the fight to drift into unnecessary rounds. The win keeps Kabayel active, relevant, and positioned for larger opportunities as the heavyweight landscape continues to shuffle above him.

What It Means for Knyba

Knyba arrived unbeaten and showed why. He boxed confidently early, landed meaningful shots, and demonstrated composure at long range. The loss will sting, but it offers experience he could not have gained on the developmental circuit. For a heavyweight with his physical tools, toughness, and early success in the opener, there are valuable positives to extract despite the result.

The Takeaway

This was billed as Kabayel’s night — a home defense with a likely win — and that remains true. But fight night delivered more than formality. Knyba showed he was not intimidated by the stage, and Kabayel showed exactly why he belongs in the conversation around the elite.

A professional performance, an emphatic finish, and a clean step forward for the German contender.