POWER VS PRECISION: DEONTAY WILDER CONFIRMS TALKS FOR SHOCK 2026 FIGHT WITH OLEKSANDR USYK
Deontay Wilder confirmed to talkSPORT that negotiations for a 2026 fight with Oleksandr Usyk are "real." Usyk, who dropped his WBO title, chose Wilder for a massive payday.
Deontay Wilder told talkSPORT that he's in talks for a fight with Oleksandr Usyk.
Usyk reclaimed the undisputed title after his win against Daniel Dubois in July, but chose to give up his WBO belt after being told to fight Fabio Wardley.
This choice allowed the Ukrainian to pick his next opponent, and he decided to call out Wilder, the American known for his punching power.
This surprised many, who thought Usyk might face a top contender or pursue a third fight with Tyson Fury.
Wilder has only one win since 2023, and some have suggested he should retire.
However, the American boxer still pulls in big crowds, and his powerful right hand is still seen as one of the division's most dangerous.
Both teams said they want to make the fight happen in 2026.
Wilder, speaking from Dubai before Pulev vs Gassiev, told talkSPORT that negotiations are underway.
The chat is real, Wilder said to talkSPORT's White & Jordan at the 2025 IBA Men’s Boxing World Championship.
Boxing is a job, but deals can fall apart. Right now, we are talking about that fight, yes.
I'm looking forward to it. Once I know the details, I'll be ready to go.
I'm excited about the possibility, and I'll start camp when things are clearer.
The chances of these two meeting in the ring are getting better every day.
Usyk will likely be the favourite, given his success and Wilder's recent struggles.
However, the fight could still create a lot of money and interest, even though they are at different points in their careers.
Wilder's Thoughts on Usyk's Challenge
Most boxing fans were surprised by Usyk's direct call to fight Wilder.
But Wilder thinks it was going to happen eventually, due to his recent losses against Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang.
About Usyk's call-out, he said, I wasn't surprised; I was half and half.
I don't often get chances because of my power.
The power makes it harder, but after losing, people get brave.
Strangely, you get more chances when you lose. When I was winning, I didn't get as many.
When and Where Could Usyk vs. Wilder Happen?
Wilder didn't share many details about the fight contract during his talkSPORT interview.
He is a big star in the US, so Las Vegas, a popular fight location, could be a good choice for the event.
Wilder had mentioned signing a contract for a fight in January, but that is unlikely to happen now.
The fight will probably take place later next year to give them enough time to prepare.
Wilder last fought in June, defeating Tyrrell Herndon, and Usyk is currently recovering from an injury.
XANDER ZAYAS EMERGES AS TOP TARGET FOR JARON ENNIS’S NEXT MAJOR SHOWDOWN
Eddie Hearn confirms Jaron "Boots" Ennis is in talks to fight Xander Zayas in June after the Vergil Ortiz deal collapsed.
Eddie Hearn just shared that Jaron “Boots” Ennis’s next fight is around the corner, with talks heating up for a showdown with Xander Zayas.
After unifying the WBA and IBF welterweight belts against Eimantas Stanionis back in April 2025, Ennis jumped to 154 pounds. He took on Uisma Lima in his debut at that weight and sailed through, which got fans buzzing about a possible match with Vergil Ortiz Jr.
Matchroom and Golden Boy Promotions started negotiating for Ennis-Ortiz, but things got messy. Ortiz’s manager, Rick Mirigian, wasn’t happy with the purse Golden Boy offered, sparking tension between Ortiz and his promoter. Ortiz declared himself a free agent, filed a lawsuit against Golden Boy, and tried to strike a deal with Ennis on his own.
Golden Boy responded by getting a restraining order to stop Ortiz from negotiating elsewhere, putting those talks to bed. So Hearn began looking elsewhere, and now Zayas, who holds the WBA and WBO titles, is in the mix. With Top Rank announcing a broadcast partnership with DAZN and Matchroom already tied to DAZN, lining up Zayas vs Ennis looks easier than ever.
“We’re definitely talking,” Hearn told BoxingScene. “Honestly, we were so close to getting the Ortiz fight. We even started planning media tours; it was that far along. Now, with DAZN and Top Rank teaming up and our good relationship with Top Rank, we’ve started chatting with Xander Zayas. No media tour this time, but I think that fight could be just as good as the Ortiz one. Zayas is right there.”
He also mentioned Josh Kelly, the IBF champ at 154, saying it’s been a frustrating stretch for Ennis. “Boots was supposed to fight in April or May; now it’s looking like June. But I guarantee he’ll get a big fight next. By the end of next week, we’ll make a decision; Boots’s fight is imminent.”
If Zayas and Ennis do end up facing each other, that could leave Kelly without an opponent for his first title defence. After beating Bakhram Murtazaliev in January, Kelly said he wanted a unification bout with Zayas.
“Yeah, Kelly’s still up for it, and Zayas likes the idea too,” Hearn said. “But honestly, there’s a lot of money in Boots vs Zayas. Kelly could fight Boots as well, and that could happen. I’m fine with Kelly taking a voluntary defence; he just beat Murtazaliev. What more can you ask for? Murtazaliev, then Boots? That’s a tough path, so we’ll see. But Kelly is up for big fights as well. Conversations are ongoing, and it’s a top priority.”
DISCOVER THE STUNNING DETAILS BEHIND THE "AGREED" TYSON FURY VS ANTHONY JOSHUA 2026 DEAL
Anthony Joshua eyes a summer return after recovering from a tragic car crash, setting up a late-year clash with Tyson Fury.
Tyson Fury's coming back to the ring on April 11, 2026. He’s taking on Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and the fight's streaming on Netflix. It'll be his first match since losing twice to Oleksandr Usyk; the last one was their rematch in December 2024.
After that defeat, Fury retired. He didn’t stay away for long, though 15 months later, he’s jumping back in. He's still thinking about making moves outside boxing. He’s talked about fighting former UFC champ Jon Jones and shared some thoughts about where his career might go.
In a chat with SPORTbible, he opened up about picking Makhmudov, what drives him, and what the future might look like.
Fury’s Reason for Choosing Makhmudov and the Joshua Fight Everyone Wants
Fury made this fight happen for a reason. Makhmudov packs serious power; he’s got 19 knockouts in 23 pro fights. Fury wanted to face someone tough.
“It takes someone of that calibre,” Fury said.
Makhmudov lost to Guido Vianello and Agit Kabayel but bounced back with wins over Ricardo Brown and David Allen.
If Fury wins, all eyes go right back to that long-hyped fight with Anthony Joshua. Joshua’s also planning a comeback this summer, at least according to Matchroom Boxing’s Frank Smith.
“If the fight can be made, let’s get it on like Donkey Kong,” Fury said.
He hasn’t talked to Joshua yet, though.
“I’ve had no contact with him at all.”
Fury Isn’t Done, And He’s Not Sure He Ever Will Be
Even though Fury keeps talking about retirement, he says boxing is still at the heart of everything.
“My true love’s always been boxing, and it’s always been my passion,” he said.
“So until it’s not any more… then I can go into full-time TV doing Netflix and s***.”
Does he need to fight? Not really. He does it for the thrill, not for the cash or fame.
“I’m in a position where I don’t need to box. I don’t need to do anything. I could drink beer all day if I wanted to. But I’m not interested. I like boxing. I’ve always liked boxing.”
He figures he’ll stick around for years yet.
“I’ll probably continue to do it well into my late 40s. It’s just something that I’ve been in love with. I’ve tried to get away from it so many times, and I’ve been unsuccessful. It’s an addiction. Boxing’s an addiction.”
MMA, the Jones Fight, and Who Knows What’s Next
Fury looked into mixed martial arts plenty of times.
“I’ve tried to do it about ten times,” he said.
But things just never lined up, at least not yet.
“For one reason or another, it hasn’t happened. [It would take] the right amount of money. But it always takes cold, hard cash, baby.”
He’s got his eye on Jon Jones, maybe. The former UFC champ could be next on Fury’s wild ride.
“You never know,” Fury said. “Anyone can beat anybody on any day. Nothing’s impossible, is it?”
