I want to fight Wilder next – Usyk

Deontay Wilder is the “first choice” for his upcoming fight, according to unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk.

In July, the Ukrainian defeated Londoner Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium to become the two-time undisputed heavyweight champion.

Usyk, 38, then vacated his WBO title, with Britain’s Fabio Wardley elevated from “interim” to full champion.

“I’ll fight the next year.” Deontay Wilder is my opponent. He told Boxing King Media, “I think it’s interesting.

Since his trilogy with Tyson Fury, Wilder has struggled, both as a former WBC world champion and as the division’s mostfeared puncher.

Following Joseph Parker’s and Zhilei Zhang’s back-to-back stoppage losses in 2023 and 2024, the American stock fell.

Wilder, 40, made a low-key seventh-round stoppage of little-known Tyrrell Anthony Herndon in June after missing out on more than a year.

Despite that decline, Usyk still sees “The Bronze Bomber” as a household name.

He is a “world champion guy.” A very well-known and capable individual,” Usyk remarked.

Usyk chose to withdraw from the WBO title in favor of Wardley, who is his only opponent. If there are several required challengers with other organizations already tied up, he might still be able to join Wilder for a voluntary defense.

On January 10, the WBC’s interim champion Agit Kabayel and Damian Knyba meet, and Richard Torrez Jr. and Frank Sanchez are both required to compete in the final elimination bout. On December 12, WBA “regular” champion Kubrat Pulev will square off against Murat Gassiev.

Usyk, who has previously defeated Fury, Dubois, and Anthony Joshua, has previously stated that he intends to fight for only two more years before aiming to win the ring again in 2026.