Mauricio Sulaiman signed off on the voluntary defense. Usyk asked for it, the WBC gave him the clearance, and Wilder qualifies at number 13 in their rankings.
“Absolutely we are hoping to see him back in the ring,” Sulaiman told Sky Sports. “He requested to the WBC to make a voluntary defence which was granted and we’re waiting for the details of his upcoming fight.”
The details get worked out later. For now, the path is clear. Wilder held the WBC belt until Fury stopped him in 2020. He is 40 now. The power might still be there. Everything else is a question.
What Voluntary Means Here
Sulaiman went further: “Deontay Wilder was champion for five years of the WBC, he is a tremendous force, he has great punching power. He is ranked by the WBC, so absolutely he is eligible and welcome to fight Usyk in a voluntary title defence.”
Usyk explained the fight on his own terms. Speaking to Ready to Fight, he laid it out: “First of all, it’s the USA. I want to box in America. Secondly, Wilder has been at the top for the last 10 years.”
He has not fought in the USA since 2019. That was the cruiserweight run. The heavyweight move took him through London and Saudi Arabia. Returning to American soil with three belts helps with visibility.
The Legacy Angle
Usyk positioned Wilder as the final piece: “In the ‘big three,’ there were Joshua, Fury, and Wilder. I beat Joshua twice, I beat Fury twice, and one unbeaten one remains – Wilder.”
That reasoning holds if you ignore what Wilder has looked like since the Fury loss. His knockout of Robert Helenius meant nothing. A loss to Parker stripped away the mystique. But Usyk wants the clean sweep, and the WBC accommodated it.
Whether it plays out as competitive or as a mismatch will depend on how much Wilder declined in the time since we last saw him at his best.
Wilder don’t even got no business being in the top 15 after that Parker fight. WBC just playing favorites cause he used to be champ, that’s not right.
Exactly my dude! If anyone else lost like that they’d be out the rankings but cause it’s Wilder they bend the rules 💸👎.
Usyk acting like beating Wilder means something but it really don’t now. Maybe five years ago but now it’s like fighting a shadow of what he used to be 🥱.
WBC just doing this to make money. Wilder ain’t the same no more, everybody know that. Letting him get a title shot is just bad for boxing and makes it look fake.
Yeah bro you right, they just trying to sell tickets. Wilder don’t deserve a shot after losing like that. They picking names not skills 🤷♂️.
I disagree with both of you. Wilder still has power and experience, Usyk wants to prove he’s the best by beating him too, that’s fair if you ask me.
This fight don’t make no sense at all. Wilder already got whooped by Fury twice and then lost to Parker too. Usyk should be fighting someone who’s been winning not losing 😤.