Oleksandr Usyk: Champion wants Deontay Wilder as his next opponent

Unified heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk has named Deontay Wilder as the «first option» for his next fight.

The Ukrainian stopped Londoner Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium in July to become a two-time undisputed heavyweight champion.

Usyk, 38, then vacated his WBO belt, with Britain’s Fabio Wardley upgraded from ‘interim’ to full champion.

«I continue fighting next year. I want to fight Deontay Wilder. I think it’s interesting,» he told Boxing King Media.

Wilder, a former WBC world champion and once the division’s most feared puncher, has struggled since his trilogy with Tyson Fury.

The American’s stock plummeted after back-to-back stoppage defeats by Joseph Parker in 2023 and Zhilei Zhang in 2024.

After more than a year out, Wilder, 40, returned in June with a low-key seventh-round stoppage of little-known Tyrrell Anthony Herndon.

Despite that decline, Usyk still views ‘The Bronze Bomber’ as a marquee name.

«He is a world champion guy. A very famous and strong guy,» Usyk said.

«One of the great heavyweights of the last 10 years. I spoke with my team and said he is the first option.»

Usyk chose to vacate his WBO title rather than face mandatory challenger Wardley. He may still be able to fit in a voluntary defence with Wilder if an opponent is agreed quickly, with several mandatory challengers with other organisations already tied up.

WBC ‘interim’ champion Agit Kabayel meets Damian Knyba on 10 January, while the IBF has ordered Richard Torrez Jr to face Frank Sanchez in a final eliminator. WBA ‘regular’ champion Kubrat Pulev is scheduled to fight Murat Gassiev on 12 December.

Usyk – who has twice beaten Fury, Dubois and Anthony Joshua – has previously said he plans to fight for only two more years, aiming to return to the ring in 2026.

The Olympic gold medalist became undisputed champion at cruiserweight before moving up to heavyweight, where he outpointed Fury to become boxing’s first undisputed champion in 25 years.