Deontay Wilder Hopeful That Oleksandr Usyk Fight Materializes
There is no question that one-time WBC heavyweight champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder (42-2-1, 41 KO’s) is the overwhelming favorite to prevail in his next match. In that duel, Wilder will face the challenge of veteran boxer Robert Helenius who is ranked #2 (WBA) and #11 (WBC). In an ideal world, directly after that, Wilder would collide with unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk (20-0, 13 KO’s). Provided that The Bronze Bomber does topple Helenius in his pay-per-view aired live from the belly of the Barclays Center, he is hopeful that Usyk will follow next.
BE ABOUT IT
While fielding questions for the Helenius presser, Wilder expressed his willingness to duel with the Ukrainian if the option was real.
“Many people have said many things to me about fighting me, and when the time came, they went the other way. So I reached out and some of my guys that’s close to me that know him [Usyk], I asked him about his character as a person, because sometimes your character will tell who you are. I asked if he was a man of his word on certain things and they confirmed to me that he were.
“So I can only hold him to his word, so we’ll see what happens. So hopefully he is a man of his word and, upon being victorious, we’ll see what happens. That’s the great thing about being a heavyweight in a small division – that you are always one fight away from a title shot. We’ll see what happens, and I can’t wait.”
EVERYTHING TO LOSE
Reinforcing his point, technically speaking, The Bronze Bomber is only one fight away from a showdown with the most belt-carrying champion in the division. Even funnier, Helenius won what was considered a significant upset over once up-and-coming contender Adam Kownacki just two fights ago. Now, The Nordic Nightmare, who was just being used as a stepping stone opponent, is potentially the sole guardian blocking Wilder’s shot at three titles.
Conversely, if Helenius were able to beat Wilder, he removes all doubt about his ability in the division. No longer would he be just another big man on the periphery of the division. He would become a legitimized heavyweight threat. At the same time, he would be dealing Wilder a career-crippling third consecutive loss. Therefore, it’s no question that, in many respects, this is a huge must-win for both guys. And as always, 3Kings Boxing will be here to report the news!
By: Bakari Simpson
