Deontay Wilder believes that Oleksandr Usyk is afraid of him and has claimed that the Ukrainian has rejected the chance to fight him on several occasions.
Wilder is the number one contender to the WBA title held by Usyk and holds the same ranking for his former WBC belt, which Tyson Fury has successfully defended twice since their epic third battle in October 2021.
Usyk is set to defend his WBA ’super’, WBO and IBF titles against Daniel Dubois on August 26 in Poland pending an official announcement, although ‘The Bronze Bomber’ feels the 36-year-old wants no part of him.
“I don’t think Usyk really cares,” Wilder told 78SPORTSTV.
“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.
“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.”
Talks have stalled for a mandated WBC final eliminator between Wilder and Andy Ruiz Jr with the Alabama man claiming that his fellow former heavyweight world champion is pricing himself out.
The 37-year-old says is he willing to face an alternative opponent should a showdown with Ruiz Jr not materialise, but also revealed that he would be content to remain out of the ring before an expected December clash with Anthony Joshua in Saudi Arabia.
“That’s definitely going down.
“You might as well get your money ready for that, because that’s going to happen.”
Joshua is on the verge on sealing a rematch with Dillian Whyte on August 12 and his promoter Eddie Hearn said last week that they are close to agreeing a deal in principle with Wilder for December.
It is unclear what the consequences would be for ‘AJ’ should he lose to Whyte, who he stopped in seven rounds in 2015, although a rematch clause for Joshua has reportedly been removed at the request of ‘The Body Snatcher’.
