Deontay Wilder believes that he boasts three significant advantages over Oleksandr Usyk, all of them enhancing the delivery and impact of his thunderous right hand.
The 40-year-old says he is now in negotiations to face the Ukrainian later this year, with America expected to be the location for their heavyweight clash.
According to Usyk’s long-term manager, Egis Klimas, the pair are likely to collide for his client’s WBC, IBF and WBA world titles in either April or May.
This much has been reported by The National, with Klimas adding that he is looking to secure a multi-fight deal with a US-based promotional outfit.
Usyk has said that he intends to remain in the sport for another two years, which could see him enter two or three more fights, before hanging up his gloves.
As for a likely showdown with Wilder, this would be the 38-year-old Ukrainian’s first outing since his fifth-round stoppage victory over Daniel Dubois in July 2025.
Wilder, meanwhile, has not fought since his seventh-round finish over little-known heavyweight Tyrrell Herndon this past June, which followed back-to-back defeats against Zhilei Zhang and Joseph Parker.
Parker pummelled the former world champion through 12 rounds of one-sided action, while the American’s loss to Zhang came via a more devastating fifth-round stoppage. Wilder nonetheless remains convinced that he has the beating of Usyk, a two-division undisputed champion, and, more specifically, has told Bloody Elbow that his speed, height and athleticism could prove decisive if they eventually lock horns.
“I would think that [my right hand] would be the main recipe of it. I’m not going to give away too much on this interview because people are looking and I don’t want nothing to be heard.
“They might send something back and try to correct certain things, but I will keep it basic. I do have the speed and the height and the athleticism, which are three things that give me an advantage.”
Most fans will strongly disagree with the speed and athleticism points, but Wilder’s notorious right hand is likely to still represent a potent weapon if he can find the time to fire it against an elite mover in Usyk.
