Deontay Wilder has shed light on why a long-rumored clash with Oleksandr Usyk failed to move beyond discussion, insisting the issue was timing and structure.
Speaking to Fight Hub TV, Wilder said the Usyk fight “was real at moments,” but lacked the key elements needed to finalize a deal. “He mentioned it first, he wanted to fight me,” Wilder explained. However, he added that there was no confirmed date or venue attached to the talks. “I don’t think they had a real set date, a place where they wanted to go… that still was lingering around. And you know, the clock goes like this, it’s tick tock.”
According to Wilder, his return to the ring was already mapped out. Negotiations for a bout with Derek Chisora had been ongoing for months and were initially targeted for December before being delayed. “Me and Derek have been working on a fight for a very long time,” Wilder said. “Actually, this fight’s supposed to have happened back in December… but due to other situations and stuff, it didn’t happen.”
At 40 years old, Wilder made clear he could not afford to wait without certainty. “I can’t sit back, I can’t sit around. And of course, we have plans of what we want to do to get to the top,” he stated.
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