Former WBC heavyweight champion American Deontay Wilder (42-2-1, 41 KOs) confirmed his readiness to fight next year with WBA Super, IBF, WBO champion Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk (20-0, 13 KOs).
It was previously assumed that Usyk would close the calendar year with a fight with WBC champion Briton Tyson Fury (32-0-1, 23 KOs), but the Ukrainian is unavailable due to injury. Fury is unhappy, looking for another opponent. Usyk’s team responded by declaring their readiness to fight Wilder.
“I heard about Usyk’s situation, –
He speaks Deontay. “And I know that he will come to New York in October and attend my fight with Robert Helenius. I know that Usyk is a man of his word. And if he says that he is ready to give me a chance to fight for the titles, then it means that he is. I don’t look behind Helenius, but I look through him. There is nothing wrong with self-confidence. Once I’m done with Robert, I’ll be ready to move on to the next chapter, Usyk or whatever.”
Wilder crossed paths with Fury three times in the ring, lost two fights in a row, but I don’t mind measuring strength with him again: “I definitely think that we can have a fourth fight. Boxing is a business. Many say that this is primarily a sport, but they are wrong. The heavyweight is not that big at all. And I’m still one of the biggest fish in the division, especially in America. So a fourth fight is quite possible.”
Wilder’s antagonist, ex-world champion Briton Anthony Joshua (24-3, 22 KOs), lost two fights in a row to Usyk. Deontay’s opinion: “He was too careful. I was afraid to throw blows, I was afraid to go to the exchange. I see that he still has problems with stamina. If these problems can be solved, then I believe that we will soon see another Joshua who will not need to restrain himself. Is it real? If there is a will, there is a way. For example, I look at things differently. For me, failure is when you give up. Therefore, Joshua will be finished only when he himself decides so.
Yesterday, Wilder told how Fury plans to beat Usyk: “He is a cheater!” Who do you think will win in the Usyk-Wilder fight? But Bob Arum surprised the forecast.
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