“If the terms were right, Deontay would welcome the opportunity to fight Usyk,” co-manager Shelly Finkel said to Sky Sports.

“Usyk is a great champion, and it would be an honor to fight him.”

The comments are the first public response from Wilder’s camp since Usyk’s team revealed its plans, and they align with the American’s own long-standing interest in the matchup.

Earlier this year, Wilder explained why facing Usyk remained one of his biggest career goals.

“He’s one of the best in the era. I do need him to accomplish what I need to accomplish,” said Deontay.

“It can happen, and it will happen. As long as I have the confidence to do what I have to do, it will happen.

“I must accomplish what I set forth in the beginning of my career.”

Usyk enters the proposed fight with a perfect professional record after defeating kickboxing star Rico Verhoeven in his final world title defense. His decision to relinquish three of the four major heavyweight belts allows the division to move forward while giving the 39-year-old freedom to pursue one last marquee bout.

A third fight with Tyson Fury is not expected. Sergey Lapin, CEO of Usyk’s promotional company Ready To Fight, recently said he sees little reason for another meeting after Usyk defeated Fury twice.

While Usyk has previously spoken about his dream of ending his career in Ukraine, his team believes a fight with Wilder would most likely take place in the United States, with Saudi Arabia also remaining a possible destination for one of boxing’s biggest remaining heavyweight attractions.

During a recent interview, the unbeaten former five-weight world champion declared that he remains “the face of boxing” despite turning 50 years old.

Floyd Mayweather built his career on proving doubters wrong. His latest claim, however, may be one of the few that doesn’t hold up.

Many of today’s younger fans never watched him compete in a meaningful championship fight. They know him more through social media clips, luxury lifestyle posts and exhibitions than through victories over Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Shane Mosley or Manny Pacquiao.

The fighters driving the sport today are active champions such as Oleksandr Usyk, Jaron “Boots” Ennis, Naoya Inoue, David Benavidez and others who are building the next era.

Mayweather’s exhibitions also haven’t become must-watch events. The exception was his crossover bout with YouTuber Logan Paul, which owed much of its mainstream appeal to Paul’s enormous online following. Since then, exhibitions against lesser-known opponents have generated relatively modest attention outside dedicated boxing media.

A possible exhibition with Mike Tyson or a rematch with Manny Pacquiao would undoubtedly attract headlines, but those would be nostalgia events featuring legendary names rather than evidence that Mayweather still sits at the center of the sport.

His own comments also made it clear where his focus lies.

“If I’m able to steal some extra money, why not?” Mayweather said to Come and Talk 2 Me channel when asked about returning to the ring, adding that exhibitions are about entertaining fans while continuing to earn lucrative purses.

That approach makes perfect business sense.

At 50 years old and nearly a decade removed from his last professional fight, exhibitions allow Mayweather to remain active without taking on the risks posed by today’s elite welterweights and junior middleweights. The speed, reflexes and defensive reactions that defined his career inevitably diminish with age, making exhibitions a far more practical option than a return to championship boxing.

Mayweather’s legacy is secure regardless of what he does next. But being one of the greatest fighters in history is different from being the face of today’s boxing landscape. Boxing has reached the point where Mayweather is part of its history, not its present.

“Tommy Hearns,” said Teofimo to the Daily Mail.

Teofimo offered no further explanation for his selection.

The choice is notable given Crawford’s standing as one of the greatest fighters of his generation. Before retiring, Crawford became the first male boxer to achieve undisputed status in three weight classes during the four-belt era, while his dominant ninth-round stoppage of Errol Spence Jr. remains one of the defining performances of his career at welterweight.

Hearns, however, is widely regarded as one of the finest 147-pound fighters in boxing history. Nicknamed “The Hitman,” the Detroit star combined uncommon height, a piston-like jab and devastating punching power to win world titles in five weight classes. His classic battles with Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler and Roberto Durán helped define one of boxing’s greatest eras.

‘The Hitman’ Hearns finished his career with a 61-5-1 record and 48 knockouts, capturing world titles from welterweight through light heavyweight while establishing himself as one of boxing’s most feared punchers.

Because Crawford and Hearns competed in different generations, any comparison remains purely hypothetical. Lopez’s answer nevertheless adds another opinion to one of boxing’s most popular fantasy debates, with fans continuing to weigh Crawford’s versatility and switch-hitting ability against Hearns’ size, reach and knockout power.