According to Deontay Wilder's manager, Shelly Finkel, the former WBC heavyweight champion, is open to the idea of facing Oleksandr Usyk, the IBF, WBO, IBO, and WBA champion, if an agreement with Usyk's mandatory challenger Daniel Dubois falls through.
The WBA ordered Usyk to defend his title against Dubois, who currently holds the organization's "regular" belt. However, if a deal cannot be reached between Usyk and Dubois, Wilder won't shy away and would gladly step in to face Usyk.
"If Deontay was offered the fight against Oleksandr Usyk, of course we would be interested," Finkel told Sky Sports.
The WBA recently announced that a purse bid for the Usyk vs. Dubois fight will take place on May 25 in Houston, Texas, signaling the organization's determination to enforce the mandatory title defense.
Usyk has been inactive since his rematch victory over Anthony Joshua last fall. Earlier this year, negotiations were underway for a highly anticipated undisputed showdown between Usyk and WBC champion Tyson Fury. Unfortunately, the two camps failed to reach an agreement due to financial disagreements.
Dubois, on the other hand, faced setbacks after sustaining a knee injury during his December bout against Kevin Lerena. Despite being knocked down three times during the fight and appearing close to defeat, Dubois showed tremendous resilience and managed to turn the tide, eventually scoring a knockout victory in the third round.
Should the Dubois scenario fall apart, the possibility of a clash between Wilder and Usyk emerges as an intriguing option, pitting two formidable heavyweight fighters against each other.
Cornelius Kwame Sakyi is a writer and boxing analyst for AceTVBoxing.com. He can be reached on Twitter @CorneliusSakyi or via email: sakyicornelius1@gmail.com.
Be the First to Comment