WBC Opens Door to Usyk-Wilder Showdown
5 December 2025
Usyk-Wilder Voluntary Defense on the Table
The World Boxing Council (WBC) opened the door to a potential explosive showdown between Oleksandr Usyk and Deontay Wilder after announcing at its annual conference that the Ukrainian champion has been cleared for a voluntary defense of his heavyweight world title.
Usyk's Preference and the Rankings
The decision came in response to Usyk’s wish, who this week said Wilder is his "first choice" for his next fight, even though the American is not in the top ten of WBA, WBC and IBF, which could have forced Usyk to relinquish some belts if mandatory bouts were imposed.
But the WBC made it official in a formal statement: "The heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk can pursue a voluntary defense. He has already said he wants to face Deontay Wilder."
Usyk’s last bout was in July, when he stopped Brit Daniel Dubois in the fifth round, becoming the heavyweight champion again for the second time in his pro career.
In November last year, the veteran 38-year-old relinquished the WBO belt, which automatically elevated Brit Fabio Wardley to the organization’s new world champion.
Despite stepping away from the mandatory defense against Wardley, Usyk still holds three major belts: WBA, IBF and WBC.
Punchline 1: Shots fired, but softly—the WBC is just letting Usyk warm up the crowd before the main headshot.
Punchline 2: Wilder chasing belts like a sniper chasing headshots—one more tick on the clock and Usyk might need a bigger vest.
