The heavyweight game has undergone a mini renaissance in recent years, and Agit Kabayel is raring to be a part of it.

The undefeated Turkish-German fighter took a small step toward that goal by decisioning Greece’s Evgenios Lazaridis over 10 rounds in the main event from Seebühne Elbauenpark in Magdeburg, Germany (ESPN+).

The card took place outdoors in front of a limited, socially-distanced crowd near a riverbank in accordance with Covid-19 protocol.

Official scores were 100-90, 99-91, and 98-92, all in favor of Kabayel, who improves to 20-0 (13 KOs).

It was Kabayel’s first fight in the Covid-19 era, and perhaps just as significantly, the first on his longterm contract with Top Rank Promotions. Kabayel, 27, belongs to a rich heavyweight stable that includes titleholder Tyson Fury, Kubrat Pulev, Oscar Rivas, Tony Yoka, Jared Anderson, and Sonny Conto.  Kabayel’s best win so far in his career is a decision over Dereck Chisora in 2017.

For at least nine rounds, it was all Kabayel. More solid than spectacular, Kabayel worked behind a torrid pace and busy jab as he slapped around a game but clearly outgunned Lazaridis (16-3, 10 KOs). Kabayel’s best punch was the looping right hand, but his relative lack of power and subpar inside game prevented him from earning the early stoppage.

Both fighters got off to a quick start, with Lazaridis arguably getting the upper hand. The Greek managed to land a few crisp rights hands and a few body shots. Lazaridis  wouldn’t have a better round. Meanwhile, Kabaye continually jabbed to the body.

In Rounds 2 and 3, Kabayel began finding his groove. He found a home particularly for his overhand right. At one point he clocked Lazaridis with a right hand, wobbling him. Kabayel, whose build and fighting style resembles New Zealand’s Joseph Parker, kept up the fast pace, hotfooting after Lazaridis as he retreated around the ring.

In Round 6, Kabayel began mixing it up to the body. After landing a stinging one-two, Kabayel landed a knifing left to Lazaridis’s right flank. That seemed to subdue Lazaridis, as Kabayel teed off with four-punch combinations. The German ended the round with a left hook-right hand combo.

Although Kabayel was in complete control at this point, he couldn’t quite put on the finishing touches. Lazaridis hung around, circling the ring, breathing from the mouth, and landing just often enough to keep Kabayel honest. But make no mistake, Lazaridis was in survival mode. 

Kabyael continued to chip away in the late rounds. In Round 10, it appeared briefly as though Kabayel might get the stoppage win. A barrage of punches had Lazaridis stumbling around the ring like a wino on the Bowery. But he would survive to hear the final bell.

This was Kabayel’s first fight since he decisioned Andriy Rudenko last March. Kabayel signed with Top Rank the following September. The goal is to make his U.S. debut sometime in the near future.