Agit Kabayel had a stellar performance as he was able to hand Zhilei Zhang his first ever stoppage defeat.
The 26-0 German was able to extend his undefeated record despite being knocked down by the 41-year-old Chinese fighter.
The win crowned Kabayel the WBC Interim World Heavyweight champion as the vacant belt was up for grabs.
Another interim world title will be contested later in the night, as Joseph Parker and Martin Bakole will fight for the WBO Interim World Heavyweight belt.
It was a body shot knockout for Kabayel as the German utilized his trademark punch. However, fans were critical of Zhang amid the finish.
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Fans critical of Zhilei Zhang following first stoppage defeat of his career
Showing signs of struggling prior to the finish, Zhang was ultimately finished off by a body shot that he could not recover from.
Despite knocking down Kabayel in the fifth round, the damage that the German was dealing to the midsection of Zhang began to build up.
The sixth round would see Zhang go down for the first time and only time in the fight, not making the count to continue the fight.
Although the performance was impressive from Kabayel, many fans felt he was not at his best on the night.
“Zhang was unfit. He was breathing heavily in round one,” one X user wrote.
Other fans also added to the criticism of Zhang. “Zhang was off today,” and “Zhang should retire,” were amongst the comments following the fight.
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Oleksandr Usyk congratulated Agit Kabayel following his win
Kabayel may look to upgrade his interim title to a full one as he now holds the WBC Interim World Heavyweight title.
The holder of the WBC World Heavyweight title is currently Oleksandr Usyk, who congratulated the division’s dark horse Kabayel after the fight.
Following the stoppage, Usyk shook Kabayel’s hand and said “good”, before presenting the new champion with his belt shortly after.
Usyk’s next opponent is currently unclear, however, he has indicated interest in a Daniel Dubois rematch.