Deontay Wilder may have just been handed a lifeline in the heavyweight division.
The devastating puncher from Tuscaloosa, Alabama has fought just once in 2025, a seventh round win over Tyrrell Herndon to bounce back from defeats to Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang, the latter being a particularly brutal stoppage.
As a result, Wilder is not currently ranked in the top ten with any of the four sanctioning bodies, including the WBC, where he held the title for half a decade between 2015 and 2020 before being dethroned by Tyson Fury.
Despite his current standing in the division, and indeed the fact that many feel his prime is well behind him, this generation’s top dog, Oleksandr Usyk, has now called him out.
Speaking to Boxing King Media, Usyk revealed that ‘The Bronze Bomber’ was the number one choice for his next fight.
“I continue [to] fight next year. I want fight with Deontay Wilder. I think it’s interesting … This is world champion guy. This is very famous guy. This is strong guy. One of great heavyweights [of the] last 10 years. I speak with my team and I say this is first option.”
Usyk has beaten Fury, Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois all twice on his way to becoming a two-time undisputed champion at heavyweight. He previously held all four titles at cruiserweight and is regarded by many as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.
A fight with Wilder, who has been one of the standout heavyweights of this era, was discussed years ago and held much more intrigue back then. What has happened during the years in between make the American an incredible underdog, even despite his famous fight-ending power.
The match-up is unlikely to be granted by all of the WBC, IBF and WBA, so Usyk may be forced to drop one or more belts — as he recently did with the WBO — if he is intent on making it happen.
Wilder had previously teased a fight overseas in January before a title run later in the year.
