Oleksandr Usyk had hoped to take on Deontay Wilder this summer and the reigning and unified heavyweight world champion has now ranked where the American sits when compared to Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.
After a legendary run to become the undisputed cruiserweight world champion, Usyk stepped up to the heavyweight division in 2019 and replicated the feat in five years, twice defeating Joshua and Fury to claim all four heavyweight titles.
Usyk then opted to vacate the IBF heavyweight title and then take on the recipient of the vacant belt, Daniel Dubois, whom he knocked out to become a two-time undisputed heavyweight ruler in his solitary outing of 2025.
Once again, the Usyk has decided to vacate a belt, dropping the WBO world title, which has been since assigned to Fabio Wardley.
However, rather than face the Ipswich fan-favourite, Usyk had set his sights on a surprising scrap with Wilder. However, it now appears that the former WBC champion will face Derek Chisora in April before a potential fight with the Ukrainian.
In an interview with Ready To Fight, Usyk was asked where Wilder ranks when compared to his toughest heavyweight opponents, Joshua and Fury, and explained why, for him, the American has to sit in third.
“I don’t have a ‘strongest’. Each of them spent years reaching such a high level,
“But if judging by the difficulty of my preparation for the bout and the intensity of the fight itself, then Tyson Fury is in first place, and Anthony Joshua is in second.
“I currently place Wilder third because I haven’t boxed him yet. This is a purely subjective feeling.”
