Shelley Finkel, the manager of former US heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder (42-2-1, 41 KOs), spoke with representatives of the American media after his ward’s press conference, timed to coincide with his Saturday fight against Finn Robert Helenius (31-3, 19 KOs).
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interview the manager commented on the possible arrival of the unified champion from Ukraine Oleksandr Usyk (20-0, 13 KOs), outlined Wilder’s future plans, and also assessed the financial and sports potential of the Ukrainian champion.
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“Obviously Deontay Wilder is a great fighter. He’s kind of like a Mike Tyson – he’s intimidating, he hits really hard. Does it kind of make you nervous that he has these lesions? Could the aura of his invincibility go away?
– No, there is no such thing at all. I have never seen anyone be invincible. I don’t think anyone is invincible. Other than Rocky Marciano, I have not seen a single heavyweight champion who ended his career undefeated.
Is this an eliminator for the WBC title?
– Right.
Is Usyk supposed to come to the fight?
– That’s what I heard. But I have no information that he flies here. So I don’t know.
– If Usyk fights Tyson Fury and is successful, then the fight with Wilder will make more sense?
— No, he just moved away from the defeats. Let him have one or two fights with the top opposition, and then it can happen.
You know Tyson Fury and Usyk very well. Who are you now number one in the world?
– At the moment, I believe that this is Tyson Fury.
- Fury’s next three rivals have been named – Usyk is on the list, but someone is missing there
– Does this mean that Tyson will win a hypothetical fight against Usyk?
– No, we want to fight Usyk, take three belts, and then fight Fury in a unification fight. Look, probably the biggest fight in boxing is Deontay versus who?
— Joshua.
– Of course. Let me ask you how much Usyk will earn on his own?
– A little.
– Right. So it’s up to the opponent.
– Yes, but in terms of the whole boxing …
– No, it’s different. I speak for the biggest fight. The US and UK are the two biggest markets. These markets speak English. This man (Usyk) does not speak English. He beat Joshua which is great and he was amazing when he made a comeback in the tenth round of the rematch. Gotta give Usyk credit. But I’m not sure if he can beat Deontay or Fury. We will see.
