Deontay Wilder claims Oleksandr Usyk fight would be 'easy night' compared to facing Tyson Fury again

03/05/2024 16:52

Deontay Wilder is confident he could beat Oleksandr Usyk if they met in the boxing ring.

The ‘Bronze Bomber’ will return to the ring for redemption when he takes on Zhilei Zhang on June 1, looking to respond to a points defeat against Joseph Parker in December.

It is considered last chance saloon for the American, who could put his name back into the world title mix with a statement win.

A shot at the winner of Tyson Fury’s clash with Oleksandr Usyk would likely be ideal for Wilder, but the American believes he would have a much easier night against the Ukrainian.

“I think the easiest night out of the two would be Oleksandr Usyk,” he told Sky Sports.

“To see his style or whatever, styles make fights and I think it would be easier with him as I’ve never fought him and we don’t know each other.

“Me and Fury we have fought many times so we know each other, it would be different.

“Fighting someone you haven’t fought before, you don’t know what surprises may happen and I base it off of that.”

A fight between Wilder and Usyk is highly unlikely, with a host of other contenders including Anthony Joshua set to be in line for a shot first.

The pair looked set to meet in 2023, but Wilder claimed the unified champion turned down a lucrative offer to do battle.

Wilder would be confident going into any clash with Usyk given the noticeable size difference, but the Ukrainian would provide a much different examination to Fury.

The former WBC world champion first drew with Fury in December 2018, before going on to lose their rematch in brutal fashion in February 2020.

He was also beaten for a second time by Fury in their trilogy shootout in October 2021, and struggled throughout their rivalry with the Briton’s power.

The 38-year-old confirmed again that he would love to stage a fourth event with Fury, but it does seem unlikely in the near future.

Fury included another meeting Wilder in his ten-fight short-list before the end of his career. and previously indicated he would explore it depending on his circumstances at the time.