Carl Froch has assessed whether Deontay Wilder, from both a financial and legacy perspective, is the right opponent for Oleksandr Usyk at this stage of his illustrious career.
The two heavyweights are in talks for a potential clash under Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing banner, with Usyk having vacated his WBC, IBF and WBA world titles.
This announcement came around a month after his encounter with Rico Verhoeven, who gave a surprisingly strong account of himself when they collided in May.
In the end, Usyk stopped the former kickboxing champion in round 11, but was made to work exceptionally hard to emerge victorious.
Perhaps realising that he is no longer the formidable force of old, the 39-year-old has since relinquished his belts and declared that he only has one fight left.
In terms of possible opponents, Wilder is seemingly the frontrunner, with the former WBC champion coming off a split decision victory over Derek Chisora in April.
Having previously scored two respective victories over Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, Usyk is yet to face the American, who would afford him the opportunity to enhance his supremacy as a modern heavyweight great.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Froch On Fighting, the Hall of Famer expressed no qualms about a showdown between Usyk and the 40-year-old Wilder.
“[Wilder’s] a big name, and he didn’t look bad against Chisora. I know Chisora and Wilder are both pretty much finished, but Wilder looked all right.
“That would be a legacy fight for Oleksandr Usyk to finish [his career and] make a right few quid. He’ll make tens of millions for a fight that, really, he’s going to be a massive favourite for.”
By vacating his WBC title, Usyk has avoided a mandated contest with Agit Kabayel and, in effect, elevated the likelihood of a Wilder fight.
