Deontay Wilder believes Oleksandr Usyk is ‘terrified of him’ and claims the Ukrainian has turned down multiple attempts to make a fight happen between them both.
‘I don’t think Usyk really cares. As long as he ain’t got to fight me. I don’t think he cares, as long as he don’t have to fight me, it’s all good, because that man is terrified of me,’ Wilder told 78SPORTSTV.
‘He’s dodged me so many times and I know. And don’t act like I don’t know, I don’t want anyone to come out like, ‘Usyk said this and that.
‘It would be a lie because I know a lot of s***. I’m in the business, I know. He’s been offered a lot of money to fight me, many times. But he’s denied it. They said they do not want Bomb Squad problems.’
Last year, while negotiations between Usyk and Fury stalled once again, the former undisputed cruiserweight champion stated that he would be open to boxing Wilder if the undisputed fight couldn’t get made.
Deontay Wilder claims Oleksandr Usyk has turned down ‘a lot of money’ to face him in the ring
Usyk is set to face Daniel Dubois next month followed by the undisputed fight with Tyson Fury
Usyk was expected to be ringside for Wilder’s last fight against Robert Helenius to help Build a Bomb hype for the clash but didn’t show up after discussions with ‘The Gyspy King’ got back on track.
Wilder was infuriated by Usyk’s ‘no show’ and insisted he had ‘scared him off’ by knocking out Helenius in the opening round.
Of course, in the end, the Usyk-Fury fight would end up collapsing. As a result, the unified heavyweight champion will now face his WBA mandatory Daniel Dubois on August 26 over in Wroclaw, Poland.
Providing he beats Dubois then the Saudis are preparing an offer to stage the four-belt shoot-out with Fury in either December or January.
Meanwhile, Wilder has agreed a fight in principle with Anthony Joshua which will take place in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia around the same time.
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn recently revealed that the blockbuster showdown is ‘virtually a done deal’, subject to a few final discussions.
Tyson FuryDeontay WilderOleksandr Usyk