DAZN News Daily Round-Up - Usyk drops Kabayel hint, Zepeda vs. Roach Jnr eyed for June

Usyk open to Kabayel fight

Oleksandr Usyk has hinted that he could opt to fight Agit Kabayel instead of a trilogy with Tyson Fury.

Usyk will defend his WBC heavyweight title against kickboxing legend Rico Verhoeven in May and, after possibly facing the winner of Daniel Dubois versus Fabio Wardley after that, he had suggested that his final bout could be against Fury.

However, he has now opened the door for a potential bout with Kabayel, who is the WBC interim champion.

He told the Daily Mail: "Maybe I will fight Kabayel - maybe I don't face Tyson Fury for a third time and I fight Kabayel instead.

"I only say my plan but that is not set in stone. I understand the Agit fans are saying you must fight him, you must fight him. But I don't have to fight him.                                                                   

"Look, maybe it's possible I fight Agit. All I can say is he's a great fighter and he's very smart."

Team Chukhadzhian win purse bids for Donovan contest

Karen Chukhadzhian’s promotional team have won the right to promote his IBF welterweight title eliminator versus Paddy Donovan.

The Latvia-based EMX Sports outbid Matchroom Boxing to secure the rights to fight with a $311,00 submission, beating Matchroom’s offer of $200,000.

The winner will be installed as the IBF’s next mandatory challenger, with current champion Lewis Crocker set to face Liam Paro in Australia this spring.

June eyed for Zepeda-Roach Jnr showdown

It appears to be all systems go for a title match between William Zepeda and Lamont Roach Jnr.

According to Boxing Scene, the pair are set to face each other for the vacant WBC lightweight belt and the bout has been tentatively pencilled in for a date in June.

They are the two highest ranked contenders with the WBC and they get the chance to fight for the belt left behind by Shakur Stevenson, who successfully moved up to 140lbs to defeat Teofimo Lopez in January.

This news comes on the back of Golden Boy Promotions signing a multi-year extension with DAZN, which helps in getting the fight over the line.

Watch Itauma vs. Franklin with a DAZN subscription

Knockout sensation Moses Itauma faces his toughest test against Jermaine Franklin this Saturday night, March 28. Watch exclusively with a DAZN Ultimate subscription to also get PPVs Chisora vs. Wilder (April 4), Wardley vs. Dubois (May 9), and Usyk vs Verhoeven (May 23) included.

Sign up for £22.99 / $44.99 per month. More details here.