"That man is terrified of me" - Deontay Wilder downplays future fight with Oleksandr Usyk
Don't ask Deontay Wilder about a fight against Oleksandr Usyk.
'The Bronze Bomber', much like the rest of the division, is attempting to book his return. Wilder last competed last Fall, scoring a knockout win over Robert Helenius. That was a massive victory for the former champion, as it snapped a two-fight losing streak to Tyson Fury.
Currently, the former WBC heavyweight champion is looking to finalize a December fight against Anthony Joshua. The card was initially expected to be headlined by Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury. However, due to financial requests from 'The Gypsy King', he's now off the event.
Furthermore, don't expect Deontay Wilder to slide into the main event against 'The Cat'. In a recent interview with 78SPORTSTV, 'The Bronze Bomber' discussed a potential fight against Oleksandr Usyk. There, Wilder opined that the Ukrainian was afraid of him.
In the interview, the former champion stated:
"I don't think Usyk really cares. As long as he ain't got to fight me. I don't think he cares, as long as he don't have to fight me, it's all good, because that man is 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, 'Usyk said this and that. It would be a lie because I know a lot of s***. 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."
Catch Wilder's comments from 41:05 onwards:
Deontay Wilder again slams Andy Ruiz Jr.
In case it's not clear, Deontay Wilder is frustrated with his lack of an opponent.
While 'The Bronze Bomber' is looking to fight Anthony Joshua in December, he wants to compete before then. Following his victory over Robert Helennius, Wilder was ordered to face Andy Ruiz Jr.
Deontay Wilder knocks out Robert Helenius (October)
📸 Timothy A Clary https://t.co/25AZDEyilD
'Destroyer' has been out of action since a decision win over Luis Ortiz last Fall. The WBC stated that the winner of the heavyweight clash would get a title shot against Tyson Fury, but it's failed to come to fruition.
In the interview, Deontay Wilder gave an update on talks with the Mexican boxer. There, he revealed that Andy Ruiz Jr. wanted a 50/50 split for an August bout, but he disagreed. Wilder stated:
“This is definitely not a 50/50 fight. He's talking about a rematch clause. Either he's drunk or he's on drugs, maybe both. If this deal falls through, you'll never see him again in the boxing scene, especially not on PBC.”