“Usyk has already stated that he sees Deontay Wilder as the opponent for his last dance,” Usyk’s team director Sergey Lapin said to the BBC. “We are in direct discussions with Zuffa Boxing at the highest level. At this stage, no agreements have been signed.
“Zuffa Boxing is considered as one of the potential partners for a major international event. The final structure will be determined based on what is in the best interests of the fight, the fighters, and the overall scale of the project.”
Wilder’s manager, Shelly Finkel, made it clear there would be little resistance from his side if an offer arrives.
“If Deontay is offered a fight with Usyk, he would take it.”
Usyk (25-0, 16 KOs) recently vacated the WBC, WBA and WBO heavyweight titles after deciding to pursue one final bout before retirement. The 39-year-old has already defeated Tyson Fury twice, Anthony Joshua twice and Daniel Dubois twice, leaving Wilder as one of the few high-profile names from his era that he has never faced.
The matchup was first discussed late last year but never materialized, with Usyk instead taking on kickboxing star Rico Verhoeven in May. Although Usyk stopped Verhoeven in the 11th round, the difficult fight prompted renewed debate about how much longer he should continue competing.
Lapin also indicated the United States is the preferred destination if the fight is finalized.
“The most logical setting would be somewhere in America. There is considerable interest surrounding this possibility at the moment, but no concrete agreements have been reached,” said Lapin.
“A fight of this level requires more than just the right names. It also requires the right partner, the right venue, the right broadcast platform, and an event of the appropriate scale.”
Securing Usyk-Wilder for Zuffa Boxing would represent its biggest boxing event to date and immediately establish the promotion in the heavyweight division. No timetable has been announced for an agreement, but both camps have confirmed discussions remain active.
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