Oleksandr Usyk: Voluntary Defense, New Challenges, and the Status of the Ukrainian Champion
After winning landmark fights and claiming the WBC, WBA, and IBF titles in the heavyweight division, Oleksandr Usyk officially received the right to conduct a voluntary defense of the World Boxing Council (WBC) belt. This decision allows the champion to independently choose his next opponent for a title bout without being tied to a mandatory challenger. As WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman stated:
“Usyk submitted a request for a voluntary defense, which was approved.”
The new status opens up a wide range of possible opponents for Usyk. The Ukrainian himself clearly articulated his priority: he is interested in a fight with the former world champion from the United States, Deontay Wilder.
“Next year I want to fight Deontay Wilder. This is truly an interesting option for me. He is a former world champion, one of the strongest and most famous heavyweights of the last decade. I told my team: this is my first option, the first name. There are no other options for now,” Usyk states directly.
This choice is not accidental. Despite a difficult period in his career, Wilder remains one of the most dangerous boxers of our time, known for his powerful knockout punch and 43 early wins in 44 fights. Usyk emphasizes: “Wilder is the first name on my list.”
Position of the Organizations and Rankings
WBC has officially allowed Usyk to choose his opponent. Sulaiman details: “Usyk’s team submitted a request for a voluntary title defense, and the organization approved it. This means that the Ukrainian can independently choose his opponent without the appointment of a mandatory challenger.”
Regarding Wilder, in the new WBC ranking, he will rise into the top 10, to 8th or 9th place, although until recently he was thirteenth. This gives him the formal right to challenge the Ukrainian: “In the updated WBC ranking, Wilder will enter the top 10 rising to 8th or 9th place so he has the right to challenge Usyk if he wishes,” Sulaiman confirms. IBF also does not object to this fight, as it is not next in the queue for the rotation of mandatory title defenses: “This would only be a problem if we were appointing a mandatory title defense,” the federation commented.
Deontay Wilder’s Reaction
The 40-year-old American boxer responded to this news with restrained respect, but also skepticism:
“It would be strange if it happens because boxing is arranged like a diagram. Sometimes everything is good, sometimes bad. It may seem that everything has come together, and then everything collapses like into a hole. It’s impossible to believe it until we sign the contract.”
Wilder stressed that he considers it an honor to receive a proposal to meet the undefeated champion, but will wait for concrete steps: “I will take it seriously only after the contract is signed.”
Details of Possible Fight Organization
The first contacts between the teams have already taken place. Two main locations are being considered:
- February-March in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia)
- April in the USA (Las Vegas or New York)
There are no official agreements yet; negotiations are ongoing.
Recently, Usyk voluntarily gave up the WBO belt to avoid a mandatory defense against Britain’s Fabio Wardley.
“This would only be a problem if we were appointing a mandatory title defense,” IBF explained. This rotation allowed Usyk to retain three championship belts and maximum flexibility in choosing an opponent.
Champion’s Recognition: Year-End Results
Oleksandr Usyk was officially recognized as the best boxer of 2025 by WBC. The award ceremony took place at the 63rd annual WBC convention in Bangkok. Other awardees included Juan Carlos Tapia, John H. Stracey, Liam Harrison, Ricardo Sandoval, and in the women’s category, Britain’s Katie Taylor.
Who Is Deontay Wilder
Wilder is a professional boxer from the USA, former WBC heavyweight world champion (2015–2020).
Known as the “Bronze Bomber”. His career includes 44 victories, 43 of them by knockout, Olympic bronze medalist in 2008. After a long winning streak, he lost to Tyson Fury, Joseph Parker, and Zhilei Zhang, but in June 2025 defeated Tyrell Herndon by technical knockout.
Post List
The situation around Oleksandr Usyk and his titles illustrates a new stage in the development of world heavyweight boxing. Usyk has strengthened his position not only as a champion but also as an athlete who influences the balance of power in the division. The voluntary defense of the WBC title opens up unique opportunities for him for the first time in a long while, the champion can shape his own path without the pressure of formal challengers.
The choice of Deontay Wilder as the main opponent looks logical both from a sporting interest perspective and for the audience. Usyk is choosing the most dangerous of the available opponents, demonstrating ambition and readiness for new challenges. Wilder’s reaction is calm and dignified, but with an emphasis on the need for official agreements: “It’s impossible to believe it until we sign the contract.”
There are no formal obstacles from the federations (WBC, IBF) to holding the fight, which further strengthens confidence in the possibility of organizing such a bout in the first half of 2025.
It is worth noting separately Oleksandr Usyk has been officially recognized as the best boxer of the year by WBC, once again underscoring his status on the international stage.
Given all the circumstances, it is Usyk who sets the pace in the heavyweight division, remaining at the center of both sporting and organizational processes. His next move will determine the trends in boxing for the coming year.
The main intrigue now is whether Usyk’s and Wilder’s teams will manage to reach an agreement on a contract and whether this fight will become the boxing event of the year.
All facts, quotes, and highlights in the article are presented according to confirmed information from open sources, without assumptions or speculation.
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