World heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk has confirmed that he wants his next title defence to be against former WBC champion Deontay Wilder, a matchup Wilder's team says they are open to.
Usyk, who has not fought since stopping Daniel Dubois in the fifth round of their rematch in July, broke his silence on his next move while attending the WBC convention in Thailand.
Speaking to Boxing King Media, the Ukrainian said a clash with Wilder excites him, describing the American as “one of the great heavyweights of the last 10 years.”
Wilder, who returned to action in June with a seventh-round stoppage of Tyrrell Anthony Herndon, has also welcomed the possibility of facing Usyk.
His co-manager, Shelly Finkel, told SkySports that “Usyk is a great champion,” adding that Wilder’s team has plans for next year and they would like Usyk to be part of it.
She says if they receive the right offer, they would be open to that fight.
Usyk, a two-time undisputed champion, still holds the WBC, WBA and IBF titles, although he vacated the WBO belt last month, elevating Britain’s Fabio Wardley to champion.
Despite that, Usyk has vowed to reclaim all four major belts.
He told delegates at the WBC convention that suggestions he is no longer undisputed are “only temporary,” reinforcing his ambition to unify the division once again.
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