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Deontay Wilder explains why he didn’t fight Usyk

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Deontay Wilder laughs with Kalle Sauerland during a press conference ahead of his fight with Derek Chisora

Deontay Wilder claims that the long-discussed fight with Oleksandr Usyk did not fall apart at the negotiating table – it was never in line with the plan already being implemented.

Wilder told Fight Hub TV that Usyk’s idea was a possibility “in moments,” but as the buzz grew, there was still no confirmed date or place for talks to begin.

With no date or location set, Wilder returned his focus to a fight that had been in the works for much longer.

Chisora’s fight was already on the move

Wilder explained that negotiations to fight Derek Chisora ​​had been ongoing for months and were initially scheduled to take place in December before other circumstances delayed them.

“Me and Derek have been working on the fight for a very long time,” Wilder said. “Actually, this fight was supposed to take place in December, you know what I mean, but due to other situations and things, it didn’t happen.”

Before Usyk’s name entered solemn discussion, Wilder said that the agreement with Chisora ​​was already part of a broader plan that he did not want to abandon.

Usyk’s conversations lacked structure

Wilder said Usyk was the first to mention the fight, which sparked a wave of attention and conversation. But he also suggested that the situation never emerged with the fundamentals needed to move things forward quickly.

“He was the first one to mention it, he wanted to fight me,” Wilder said, describing how talks gained momentum. “But I don’t think they, you know, really had a set date, a place that they wanted to go that was still happening. And, you know, the clock is ticking, ticking.”

As World Boxing News exclusively reported last year, Shelly Finkel wanted Wilder in the ring by the end of 2025. At the age of 40, Wilder stressed that waiting without guidance was not an option.

“I can’t sit idly by, I can’t sit idly by,” Wilder said. “And of course we have plans for what we want to do to get to the top.”

Time beyond chance

Instead of viewing the situation as rejection, Wilder described it as time and progress. He said his path back has already been mapped out and he needs a step that fits what comes next.

“The second fight will be at a slightly different level than my opponent, but a bit more,” Wilder said. “And then along came Derek Chisora ​​(fight), who was on par the whole time because we need someone like that.”

Wilder made it clear that interest in Usyk had increased, even though his own career path had already been mapped out. Without a solid framework for action, he was not prepared for time to stand still.

The opportunity may return. For now, the division has gone further. According to Wilder, this time it wasn’t about fear or money. It was about the lack of a plan and the fact that he didn’t want to sit still while creating one.

The immediate consequence is clear: the path to the WBC title has changed, with president Mauricio Sulaiman stating that Usyk must next face mandatory challenger Agit Kabayel.


About the author

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

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Roy Jones Jr sums up Tyson Fury’s chances of beating top-ranked Lennox Lewis

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Roy Jones Jr sums up Tyson Fury’s chances of beating a prime Lennox Lewis

Britain has produced some great heavyweights in recent years, ending an almost century-long curse and seeing success in the division ever since. Predicting the outcome of the clash between two of the best fighters in the country, Lennox Lewis and Tyson Fury, Roy Jones Jr said it would be a “great fight”.

Bob Fitzsimmons became the first British world heavyweight champion in 1897, and he and Jones remain the only two fighters in boxing history to have won both middleweight and heavyweight world titles.

However, Great Britain struggled for success in the division after the Fitzsimmons fight, unable to claim heavyweight supremacy until Lennox Lewis became WBC world champion in 1992. Britain has since crowned its title 11th world heavyweight championFabio Wardley, who follows in the footsteps of Fury and Anthony Joshua.

In an interview with Grosvenor CasinoJones said he would give Lewis an advantage over the “Gypsy King” if they met in their prime.

“Tyson Fury vs. Lennox Lewis? That would be a great fight, but my first thought was Lennox Lewis because of his power. But my second thought was also that Tyson Fury was great at making adjustments. I would go with Lennox Lewis.”

At least one heavyweight world title is expected to remain in a Briton’s hands for some time, with Daniel Dubois scheduled to face another Briton, Fabio Wardley, for the WBO belt next month.

In the meantime, we hope 21-year-old Moses Itauma can continue Britain’s success for many years to come, with the youngster considered by many to be the hottest prospect in boxing.

As for Fury, he is focused on the UK-wide megafight with Joshua – their own ‘Battle of Britain’ after Lennox fought Frank Bruno in 1993.

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Jermell Charlo says Derrick James has changed with fame

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Image: Jermell Charlo says Derrick James changed as success grew

“Derrick James, he started getting a little more players and a little more buzz, and I feel like our communication has changed,” Charlo told Brian Custer.

Charlo said that as James built a larger stable, there was less hands-on time spent with him and more trying to control the gym environment. He claimed that James wanted things done his way, including telling players to remove dogs from the gym during training sessions and changing the atmosphere that helped build their success.

Charlo has been out of the ring since his loss to Saul Alvarez in 2023, and James recently split from Errol Spence Jr. A coach once considered one of the safest hands in the sport is suddenly facing public criticism from two of his biggest names.

“He wanted it his way,” Charlo said. “Coach needs us. Don’t overdo it, coach. Serene down, coach. I was your first champion.”

He also pointed to his camp leading up to the Alvarez fight, saying the support around him wasn’t the same when he needed it most.

“You don’t enter into a world title fight like that,” Charlo said.

Charlo still believes he can regain his spot in the junior middleweight division, and talks about a possible fight with Sebastian Fundora are ongoing later this year. His confidence hasn’t changed, but his patience with ancient alliances has noticeably changed. Sometimes a rift begins when success changes the room.

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Prince Naseem Hamed predicts Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua fight: ‘It’s going to sound crazy’

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Prince Naseem Hamed predicts Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua: “This is going to sound mad”

Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua look set to face each other later this year in what could be one of the biggest British boxing events of all time.

Another British legend, Naseem Hamed, presented the course of the fight in a surprising way.

Fury had his ring returned within a a decision victory over Arslanbek Makhmudov earlier this monthshaking off ring rust at the age of 37 and allegedly preparing for a showdown with Joshua that the “Gypsy King” was set to take place this summer.

However, ‘AJ’ instead maintained that he would prefer a warm-up fight first, with the Londoner expected to return to action in July, ahead of a long-awaited meeting with his arch-rival in November.

I’m talking to talkSPORT BoxingHamed was looking forward to this match and suggested that a draw could be on the cards.

“Who do I think will win the fight between AJ and Fury? Well, that is the question and everyone wants to know.

“Years ago, Tyson had this awkward style for me where he could make AJ look stupid, that’s true. Now everything has changed. Tyson seemed to have backed off a little bit.

“But with Tyson Fury you never know, maybe one night he’ll show up and box amazingly and do what he did to Wilder. Those first few rounds [against Makhmudov]I was a little disappointed that he didn’t go from the start.

“This is going to sound crazy to you, but would it be unbelievable if I said it could be a draw?”

It is unclear whether Fury will also fight in the summer or whether he will avoid risking a lucrative romance with Joshua and wait patiently on the sidelines.

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