The Last Crescendo - Zhilei Zhang vs Agit Kabayel: Live round-by-round updates

Zhilei Zhang faced Agit Kabayel for the vacant WBC interim heavyweight title at the boxing event titled 'The Last Crescendo.' This event took place on Feb. 22 at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The main card began at 11 am ET / 8 am PT.

China's Zhang previously lost the WBO interim heavyweight title to Joseph Parker in March 2024. However, he bounced back in June of the same year with a knockout victory over former champion Deontay Wilder. Meanwhile, Kabayel, an undefeated heavyweight from Germany, looked to capture the title with a win against the veteran fighter.

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The Last Crescendo: Zhilei Zhang vs. Agit Kabayel

Round 1

The size difference was clearly noticeable as the two big men faced each other in the center of the ring. Zhang was the aggressor early in the match, while Kabayel took a defensive stance to protect himself. Kabayel responded with fierce combinations, but Zhang remained undeterred, continuing to apply pressure.

Our score: 10-9 Zhang, 10-9 overall

Round 2

In Round 2, Kabayel took on the role of the aggressor, delivering a flurry of high-volume attacks. Zhang utilized a high guard to protect himself from and deflect Kabayel's stronger punches, while also managing to land a few effective shots of his own. Although Zhang's punches elicited more noticeable reactions, Kabayel compensated for this with his relentless volume of attacks.

Our score: 10-9 Kabayel, 19-19 overall

Round 3

Kabayel pressed forward, launching relentless punches to both the body and head. Zhang, primarily focused on defense, attempted to counter with a few effective combinations to the head. However, Kabayel showed no signs of slowing down or backing off. He continued to target Zhang's body, presumably aiming to drain the Chinese fighter's stamina.

Our score: 10-9 Kabayel, 29-28 Kabayel overall

Round 4

Kabayel began to find his rhythm, delivering a series of effective combinations targeting both the head and body. His left hook to the body, followed by a right uppercut, landed successfully multiple times. At one point, a straight right from Kabayel seemed to stun Zhang, who was having difficulty coping with the relentless pressure.

Our score: 10-9 Kabayel, 39-37 Kabayel overall

Round 5

Zhang entered Round 5 looking visibly exhausted and having difficulty maintaining the pace. Just as Kabayel seemed to become more active, Zhang delivered a short left hook that knocked him down. However, Kabayel was undeterred and quickly returned to his game plan once he got back on his feet. While Kabayel controlled most of the round, Zhang managed to make the most significant impact with that knockdown.

Our score: 10-9 Zhang, 48-47 Kabayel overall

Round 6

Zhang continued to give the impression that he was rapidly fading as Kabayel started another round with aggressive forward movement. However, Zhang's counters drew visible reactions from him. The body shots eventually piled up and forced Zhang to take the knee. Zhang could not answer the 10-count and the referee waved off the fight, declaring Kabayel the winner by T/KO.

Result: Agit Kabayel defeats Zhilei Zhang by T/KO at the 2:29 mark of Round 6 to become the WBC interim heavyweight title