Instead of a battle with the Ukrainian champion, the “Bronze Bomber” will fight in London
Former WBC champion Deontay Wilder openly discussed the cancellation of the match with Oleksandr Usyk and what exactly prevented the teams from reaching an agreement.
This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing an interview with the boxer on the Brunch Boxing portal.
Also read: Replacement for Usyk is ready: the name of the only boxer capable of becoming a new star has been revealed
“There was no complete picture”
Wilder (44-4-1, 43 KOs) stated that negotiations stalled due to a complete lack of specifics from Usyk’s representatives. According to the American, he never received clear answers to basic organizational questions.
“Unfortunately, we couldn’t make this happen within the set timeframe. We tried to understand what they wanted, where and when they planned to hold the fight. But they didn’t have a fully developed picture, just a general desire. I’m already an aging fighter and can’t just sit and wait like the younger ones. The clock is ticking, every second counts,” noted the 40-year-old Wilder.
The boxer’s manager, Shelly Finkel, confirmed his client’s words, adding that the Ukrainian team offered nothing but the idea of the fight, without any financial or logistical guarantees.
Veterans’ fight in London
Due to prolonged and unproductive negotiations with the Ukrainian side, Wilder decided not to lose his competitive edge. He signed a contract for a bout with another veteran – 42-year-old British fighter Derek Chisora (36-13, 23 KOs). The clash will take place this Saturday, April 4, in London. Interestingly, this will be the 50th fight in the career of both boxers.
As for Usyk, he will make a voluntary defense of the WBC title on May 23 in Giza, Egypt. His opponent will be the “king of kickboxing” – Dutchman Rico Verhoeven.
Earlier, we reported that a well-known promoter is preparing a super fight for Usyk against the world’s top talent.
