Heavyweight Agit Kabayel's reason for vacating the European title on Tuesday is now clear.

Kabayel signed a co-promotional agreement with Top Rank and will come to the United States to box, it was announced Wednesday.

Kabayel (19-0, 13 KOs), 26, of Germany, who is co-promoted by SES Boxing, is one of the heavyweight division's top up-and-comers, although he has been fairly inactive. He fought only once in 2018 and has had only one bout so far this year.

He was due to make a mandatory European title defense against England's unbeaten Joe Joyce but vacated to bring his game to the United States, where he will fight on ESPN platforms as part of Top Rank's deal with the network.

"My American dream has come true," Kabayel said. "I can't wait to showcase my skills in the U.S. and on ESPN. As the European champion, the time is now to go all in and achieve my lifetime goal of becoming the first German world heavyweight champion since the great Max Schmeling."

Top Rank and SES Boxing worked together on lineal heavyweight champion Tyson Fury's fight with the SES Boxing-promoted Tom Schwarz in June and during that promotion they began discussing the prospect of a deal to work together on Kabayel.

With Fury as one of its cornerstone fighters, Top Rank has become more involved in the heavyweight division than it has in years and now has six heavyweights in is stable: Fury, Kubrat Pulev (the mandatory challenger for the winner of the Andy Ruiz Jr.-Anthony Joshua rematch), Kabayel, former title challenger Bryant Jennings and prospects Guido Vianello (a 2016 Italian Olympian) and Sonny Conto.

Kabayel, who turned pro in 2011 and has fought primarily in Germany, won the vacant European title by unanimous decision against Herve Hubeaux in 2017 and made three defenses, a majority decision over former world title challenger Dereck Chisora, a third-round knockout of Miljan Rovcanin and a unanimous decision against Andriy Rudenko on March 2.

"Agit is ready for the world's best heavyweights, and at only 26 years of age, the best is yet to come," said SES Boxing founder Ulf Steinforth. "Like all great fighters, Agit wants to make his mark in America."