Usyk vs. Wilder: WBC Approves Voluntary Defense

Mauricio Sulaiman approved Usyk’s request for a voluntary defense, and somehow Deontay Wilder qualifies despite a loss to Joseph Parker less than two years ago. The WBC ranked Wilder at number 13 and called it legitimate.

“Absolutely we are hoping to see him back the ring,” Sulaiman told Sky Sports. “He requested to the WBC to make a voluntary defence which was granted and we’re waiting for the details of his upcoming fight.” Standard language from a sanctioning body that bends its own rules when convenient. The details get worked out behind closed doors. For now, the path is clear because the WBC decided it should be.

How Rankings Work When They Need To

Sulaiman kept going: “Deontay Wilder was champion for five years of the WBC, he is a tremendous force, he has great punching power. He is ranked by the WBC, so absolutely he is eligible and welcome to fight Usyk in a voluntary title defence.”

The WBC justifies it by pointing to Wilder’s past reign. That belt got taken from him in 2020 by Tyson Fury. Nearly six years have passed since Wilder looked like a top heavyweight. The resume since then does not support a number 13 ranking, let alone a title shot.

The WBC plays this game better than anyone. They create mandatory positions and then grant exceptions when bigger money sits on the table. Wilder at 40 with losses to Fury twice and Parker once somehow rates above fighters who have done more recently. The organization does not care about competitive integrity when a name like Wilder can generate attention…and money. They ranked him. They approved the voluntary. They will collect their sanctioning fees and pretend this makes sense.

Usyk laid out his reasoning to Ready to Fight: “First of all, it’s the USA – I want to box in America. Secondly, Wilder has been at the top for the last 10 years. This is about sporting interest.” He has not fought in America since 2019 during the cruiserweight days. The heavyweight run took him through London and Saudi Arabia. Coming back to American soil with three belts helps visibility.

The Big Three Justification

Usyk positioned this as closing a chapter: “In the ‘big three,’ there were Joshua, Fury, and Wilder. I beat Joshua twice, I beat Fury twice, and one unbeaten one remains ..Wilder.” That works if you ignore what Wilder has looked like since losing the belt.

The sporting interest claim falls apart under scrutiny. Wilder still has name recognition with casual fans who remember the highlight knockouts. They might not have watched the Parker fight or noticed how predictable Wilder became once someone took away his distance. The right hand still carries voltage. Timing fades. Reflexes slow. Usyk reads feints better than almost anyone at heavyweight. He will see the right hand coming before Wilder commits to it.

Wilder’s best path is catching Usyk cold in the opening rounds before the Ukrainian settles into rhythm. After that, it becomes a technical breakdown. Usyk will move, pivot, and disrupt Wilder’s timing with feints and angle changes. By the middle rounds, Wilder will be predictable and tired. That is when things turn one-sided.

The WBC cleared this as a voluntary defense because it serves everyone at the table except fans who want to see competitive fights. Usyk gets his American return. Wilder gets one more payday before retirement.

The sanctioning body keeps three names relevant in headlines and collects fees. Nobody who watched both fighters recently expects this to be competitive.