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Fabio Wardley says Wilder will be on the shortlist if the Usyk fight falls through

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Image: Fabio Wardley says Wilder is on shortlist if Usyk fight fails

Wardley made it clear that Wilder would still be in the mix if a bigger target proved out of reach.

“Obviously I would definitely have fun fighting Deontay Wilder,” Wardley told Fight Hub TV. “The number one priority is Daniel Dubois, to get through this fight and get rid of him. Then it would be Oleksandr Usyk, that would be my goal, but if this fight doesn’t happen or is simply impossible, then yes, third on the list will be Deontay Wilder.”

It’s another sign that Wilder’s name still has value, even after a challenging run in recent years. The former WBC champion is no longer viewed as he was in the best years of his career, but he remains one of the few non-title heavyweights who can still attract worldwide attention.

For Wardley, a fight with Wilder would likely generate a lot of interest in the UK and abroad. It would also provide a high-profile opponent with a knockout history and a recognizable profile, something many contenders cannot offer.

Before that happens, Wardley must deal with Dubois, who becomes a risky test for him and a much more pressing problem than future matchmaking talks.

If Wardley wins and Usyk’s route stalls, Wilder could still get back into the title conversation, which seemed closed until recently. That says as much about the heavyweight business as it does about Wilder himself.

Oleksandr Usyk strategically vacated the WBO belt in November 2025, especially to avoid a mandatory defense against Wardley. While fans like to talk about his undisputed legacy, the reality is that Usyk, 39, is in a cash-strapped phase of his career.

If Usyk can secure a third massive payday against Tyson Fury after fighting Rico Verhoeven in Egypt, he will have no incentive to risk his remaining titles against a younger, physically powerful fighter like Wardley for a fraction of the purse.

Forty-year-old Deontay Wilder is the ultimate opportunistic opponent for a juvenile champion like Wardley.

Even though he lost to Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang, Wilder’s “Bronze Bomber” brand is still a draw. For the general public, beating Wilder would still lend a hand Wardley’s career.

Wilder’s victory over Derek Chisora ​​on April 4 showed that while his legs may be fading, the right-hander can still hold his own against domestic-level opponents.

For Wardley, Wilder means a huge payday and a chance to claim a scalp that not even Anthony Joshua has officially claimed. With Wilder in the mix, it’s a direct ticket back to a world title he believed was gone forever.

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Devin Haney says Gervonta Davis’ team has made contact and declines to discuss the hydration clause

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Image: Devin Haney Says Gervonta Davis' Team Reached Out, Rejects Rehydration Clause Talk

Devin Haney says that after years of calls for a fight, a fight with Gervonta Davis may finally be closer to reality.

Haney revealed on social media that Tank Davis’ team recently reached out about a potential fight. When the fan responded by warning him not to agree to any hydration restrictions, Haney quickly dismissed the idea.


“Never,” Haney repeated X about not wanting to agree to the rehydration clause.

The response came shortly after Haney suggested that discussions had begun between the two sides.

“I think Gervonta has gained some balls. His team has reached! We can just fight! 😅– Haney wrote.

The fight between Haney and Gervonta is one of the longest unanswered questions in boxing. Haney continued to fight multiple times during his lightweight title fight, but the fight never materialized despite years of public calls and fan demands.

San Francisco-born Haney became the undisputed lightweight champion in 2022, and Davis continued to build his profile as one of boxing’s biggest pay-per-view attractions.

Haney’s rejection of rehydration clauses will likely become a talking point if negotiations move forward. Hydration restrictions became a major topic of debate ahead of Tank’s 2023 fight with Ryan Garcia, with many fans criticizing the terms of the deal.

Devin has recently been linked to potential fights against Ryan Garcia, Shakur Stevenson and Keyshawn Davis. His latest comments put Gervonta Davis back into the conversation after years of failed attempts to make the fight happen.

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Categories Devin Haney and Gervonta Davis

Last updated: 22/06/2026 at 17:07

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Promoter Naoyi Inoue Confirms Target Opponent and Schedule: ‘I’m Sure You Can Guess’

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Naoya Inoue’s next mandatory challenger set to be determined in interim title fight

Last month Inoue defeated fellow Japanese star Nakatani, in the biggest fight in the history of Japanese boxing and one of the most anticipated fights on the 2026 boxing calendar.

Od tego czasu uwaga skupiła się na Jesse’m Rodriguezie, który w momencie niedawnego zwycięstwa Inoue był posiadaczem trzech tytułów mistrza świata w wadze super muszej. “Bam” vacated the belts and secured the WBA bantamweight world title after a knockout victory over Antonio Vargas. Trener Amerykanina, Robert Garcia, zasugerował, że stoczą jeszcze jedną walkę w tej wadze, zanim ponownie przejdą do walki i rzucą wyzwanie Inoue.

I’m talking to Yahoo Japan

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Collazo makes Valdez’s job easier

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Author: Sean Crose

On Saturday night, Oscar Colazzo decided to move up to the flyweight division. His hard-won world title wasn’t on the line because he was moving to a up-to-date division, but the stakes were still high for the popular Puerto Rican fighter. Things started badly before Collazo slipped between the ropes. For Neider Valdez, Saturday’s opponent, Collazo replaced him at the last minute. Collazo’s scheduled opponent in the 10-round bout, Joey Canoy, had visa issues and, as a result, Collazo later had to jump to a different weight class. It wasn’t an ideal situation, but both Colazzo and Valdez realized the players were struggling.

Bantamweight champion Colazzo threw himself with a southpaw in the first. Valdez, however, was not overwhelmed by the world champion, his own dedication and landing. Palazzo’s impressive left shot knocked out Valdez early in the second. With that said, the man was able to quickly get back on his feet to hit the mat once again. Another series of shots knocked down Valdez for the third time. Once again he was able to get up, but his corner thought better of it and stopped the fight.

The cut low of the fight was simply a demonstration of the difference between the champion and his last-minute successor. Valdez deserved credit for showing up and giving his all, but he was wildly classless. One wondered if he would even be able to represent an airline division. The DAZN broadcast team seemed dissatisfied with Valdez’s behavior, feeling that Valdez pulled out of the fight early. That may or may not have been true, but either way it was solid to imagine Valdez having a good night to himself.

“I feel great,” Collazo said later. He had a good reason for this. He successfully won his flyweight debut in less than three rounds. “I’m ready to make history,” Collazo added. “He’s the biggest little man in the boxing world today,” said promoter Oscar De La Hoya.

There was no doubt that Colazzo looked excellent, but the quality of his opposition was so impoverished that you have to wonder how Colazzo would have fared against stronger competition in the league. Make no mistake, Valdez was a replacement opponent who wasn’t expected to have much of a chance at first. Of course, there was a chance for him to shock the world. But he just couldn’t defy expectations in such an obvious way.

There is no doubt that Colazzo is an excellent fighter. He is aggressive, hits solid and exudes confidence. It’s not effortless for anyone. Indeed, he may be one of the more hard fighters to beat in boxing right now. Oscar De La Hoya certainly had plans for him, and after Saturday’s performance, it’s effortless to see why. If he continues playing at this pace, he will have a brilliant future ahead of him.

Smaller fighters like Colazzo don’t always get a lot of love from boxing fans, but there’s a lot to like in the smaller divisions. Those who fight at featherweight have an incredible skill set and very keen and correct striking. The pace at lower weights is speedy, and the players themselves show a lot of fortitude. Fighters like Michael Carbajal and even Manny Pacquiao have helped erase the image of the little fighter that no one wants to see. Indeed, smaller weight divisions can be seen significantly on television. Perhaps that’s why De La Hoya has so much faith in Collazo.

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