The way former WBC heavyweight champ Deontay Wilder tells it, current unified WBA/IBF/WBO heavyweight boss Oleksandr Usyk wants absolutely no part of him. Speaking once again with 78SPORTSTV, Wilder says the unbeaten Ukrainian southpaw has turned down “a lot of money” because he is “terrified” of fighting him.
Wilder, who may or may not face another former champ in Andy Ruiz next, the back and forth still going on with regards to that fight, is also linked to that Anthony Joshua blockbuster in Saudi Arabia, which is supposedly going to take place in either December or January (according to Eddie Hearn). But one man Wilder will never fight is Usyk, and this is because Usyk is afraid of Wilder. Or so he insists.
“I don’t think Usyk really cares. As long as he ain’t got to fight me,” Wilder said. “I don’t think he cares, as long as he don’t have to fight me, it’s all good, because that man in terrified of me. He’s dodged me so many times and I know. And don’t act like I don’t know, I don’t want anyone to come out like [saying], ‘Usyk said this and that.’ It would be a lie because I know a lot of shit. I’m in the business, I know. He’s been offered a lot of money to fight me, many times. But he’s denied it.”
It would of course be interesting to get Usyk’s take on this, as it’s always best to get both sides of the story. Usyk did express interest in a fight with Wilder some months back, but since then, nothing. Usyk did try his best to get that unification fight with Tyson Fury, that fight seemingly his number-one goal. Now, looking to keep hold of his three belts, Usyk will get busy taking care of his mandatory requirements, starting in August, when he will face WBA mandatory challenger Daniel Dubois.
After that, assuming Usyk wins, who knows? There is talk of Usyk appearing on the supposed Wilder-Joshua card in Saudi, but nothing is official at the moment. The big four at heavyweight right now are Fury, Usyk, Wilder and Joshua. In an ideal world, Fury would fight Usyk next, while Wilder and Joshua would fight each other, the winner to face the Fury-Usyk winner. If only life were that simple when it comes to world heavyweight boxing.