Deontay Wilder responded after Oleksandr Usyk gave up targeting a fight with the “Bronze Bomber”.

For several months, it seemed that the former WBC world heavyweight champion Wilder was one step away from a final showdown with unified heavyweight king Usykbut instead the two men went in different directions.

Wilder returns to action on April 4 when he faces fellow heavyweight veteran Derek Chisora ​​at the O2 Arena in London, while Usyk will defend his WBC heavyweight title in a controversial fight against kickboxing star Rico Verhoeven at the Pyramids of Giza on May 23.

Usyk recently made his future intentions clear, stating that he plans to face Verhoeven, the winner of Fabio Wardley vs. Daniel Dubois, and then with Tyson Fury.

With this in mind, Wilder told Daily Mail Boxing that he believes Usyk may have changed his mind after being intimidated when they met.

“Deontay Wilder is not there? Maybe he changed course. Most of the time when people meet me and see me, there is an intimidation factor.

“We’ll see. If it doesn’t happen, it won’t ruin my dreams. I’m still here, whether he’s here or not. It doesn’t matter who’s here. I’m not here for any of these other guys in the division. I’m here for my goals and what I want to do with my life.”

Usyk may still change his mind and decide to fight Wilder, but first the “Bronze Bomber” must defeat Chisora ​​next month.

Edgar Berlanga continues to talk about the Chris Eubank Jr. fight on social media, keeping the fight in the spotlight even though no official deal has been confirmed.

The super middleweight has repeatedly posted about a potential fight, suggesting it could happen later this year in London.

Berlanga’s activities have led some fans to believe that talks may be going further behind the scenes than has been publicly acknowledged.

So far, however, neither side has announced an agreement. Organizers and broadcasters have yet to confirm anything formally, leaving the situation in limbo despite Berlanga’s persistent teasing about the fight online.

Berlanga vs. Eubank Jr

Reports earlier this year indicated that there were discussions about a possible fight, although one sticking point appeared to be the lack of agreement on the weight limit.

Eubank Jr is said to have favored a catchweight closer to 164 pounds, while Berlanga preferred the full 168-pound limit at super middleweight.

This puts the fight in a strange position. There is a lot of talk about it on the Internet, but there is still no official confirmation.

A logical fight for both sides

The fight may come at a good time for both fighters.

For Eubank Jr. it would be a chance to move back up in weight and re-establish himself in the super middleweight division after two tough fights to gain 160 pounds in his fights with Conor Benn, both of which had an additional hydration clause.

If Eubank performs well against Canelo Alvarez’s former opponent, it could push him back to the top of the list of potential rivals for the Mexican star, which was first floated as a potential route a few years ago.

Berlanga has his own reasons for wanting this fight.

The Brooklyn fighter burst onto the scene with sixteen straight first-round knockouts, but he still has to rediscover the form that made him a star after several impoverished performances and a bad showing against Hamzah Sheeraz, another potential future Eubank Jr. opponent.

Meeting Eubank, who has shown weaknesses that could give Berlanga confidence, could be the perfect window to see “The Chosen One” outside the United States.

Until something is signed and announced, the potential clash remains one of those state-of-the-art boxing stories that get talked about on the internet before the official website catches up.

About the author

Phil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a boxing veteran with over 15 years of experience. Read the full biography.

“I’m just an ordinary person,” Shakur Stevenson recently told Joe Rogan on Rogan’s hugely popular podcast. Stevenson was both right and wrong. He was right that he wasn’t interested in being one of the dazzling players. “I’m different,” he told Rogan. “I’m not like these guys.” Quite good, but Stevenson’s skills in the ring, which could be admired a few weeks ago when he completely outclassed the excellent Teofimo Lopez, show a different side of the man. It could be just an ordinary guy on the street. In the ring, however, the man is far from ordinary.

He may be humble, but Stevenson is candid about his career. “It’s just solid work, dedication and God-given ability,” he said. “I think I’m the most complete fighter in boxing.” No doubt many will now agree with this. “I just feel like I’m a fighter who can do anything,” he said. “I feel like I’m the best fighter in boxing.” Once again, no doubt many will now agree with this. Indeed, the fight with Lopez elevated Stevenson from a fighter who could be great to a fighter who is undoubtedly great. “It scared a lot of people,” he said of the Lopez fight.

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Perhaps surprisingly, Stevenson greatly admires his friend, the recently retired Terence Crawford, for his friendship and discipline. “He took my game from where it was to a very high level,” Stevenson said of his mentor. Greatness recognizing greatness. Like Crawford, Stevenson enjoys the hard-earned fruits of his labor. But he’ll be back in the ring soon, because there’s always a recent battle to fight. Stevenson won’t fight forever. He wants to retire someday with health and money. Bright and skilled – certainly a winning combination.