Agit Kabayel puts away Zhilei Zhang – Callum Smith says, “Who’s finished”!

Agit Kabayel?

Is he for real?

Mostly unknown through 23 fights, the former European heavyweight champion defeated Derek Chisora in 2017. Other than that?

Not much.

Kabayel was a big underdog when he fought the undefeated Arslanbek Makhmudov in 2023.

Close to six-foot-six and weighing over 260 pounds, Makhmudov had starched 18 successive opponents. The oddsmakers figured Kabayel would be victim number 19.

Hardly.

Makhmudov landed, but Kabayel showed good movement and a solid chin. He targeted the big man’s breadbasket. Makhhmudov was soon wilting and gone in round four.

Next up was another undefeated heavyweight, Frank Sanchez. Kabayel entered the underdog and exited the winner after stopping Sanchez in seven. Again, it was his bodywork that did the trick.

Kabayel faced Zhilei Zhang last weekend in Saudi Arabia. Zhang, who is 41, has victories over Joe Joyce and Deontay Wilder. No one was sure what to expect.

No longer the underdog, Kabayel,32, fought like one in the opening session against Zhang. He was popped and did little in return. Zhang likely thought his time in the ring would be short, but Kabayel was a different fighter in round two.

He worked downstairs, drilling Zhang’s ample midsection with straight shots that “The Big Bang” felt. Kabayel kept up the body attack in round three, as Zhang fought back, but the big man was fading.

Kabayel had the edge in round four and appeared close to finishing the fight in round five until a Zhang left dumped him on the canvas.

Kabayel got up quickly, his eyes clear.

“Zhang has a very hard punch, but then he punched me that time – I didn’t see it,” said Kabayel after the fight.

It wasn’t a problem for long. The exhausted Zhang doubled over in pain – courtesy of more bodywork.

“Every training session we go to the body, go to the head,” Kabayel said.

In round six, Kabayel landed a blistering right to the gut, followed by a left hand. Zhang dropped to the canvas – his distress obvious. He did not beat the count.

Kabayel’s record improved to 26-0. The guy can fight.

Former world champion Callum Smith was fighting again, and many wondered why. Artur Beterbiev bludgeoned Smith in his last fight. He talked about retirement, and even his brother Liam mentioned the R-word.

Before you could say Smith is from Liverpool, like a legendary band, an announcement came that he’d be fighting undefeated Joshua Buatsi  Feb.22.

When asked why he was returning to the ring, Smith said, “I realized that I hadn’t fully achieved what I wanted – this is the fight that motivated me.”

Smith was inspired and energetic against Buatsi – banging the body with gusto and ignoring a cut over his right eye.

Bloody but unbowed, Smith raised his glove in victory – the well-deserved decision his.

“I was the underdog, and it got my back up a little bit when I saw people saying I was finished,” said Smith. “I felt I had to prove a lot of people wrong tonight.”

Mission accomplished.