Oleksandr Usyk has said Deontay Wilder has a ‘60 per cent’ chance of beating Anthony Joshua if the heavyweights ever fight.
Usyk fought Joshua in 2021 and 2022, outpointing him both times to win and then retain the unified heavyweight titles. The Ukrainian has now signed to fight another Briton in WBC champion Tyson Fury, while talks continue over a clash between “AJ” and Wilder.
“It [would be] a phenomenal match,” Usyk said on his YouTube channel. “If Wilder clips [an opponent], they’re unable to fight back.
“I’m going with Wilder at [a] 60 per cent [chance] for the contest. He’s a puncher, and Joshua could be set upon. Deontay’s able to send someone flying when he touches them. They usually fly.”
Usyk, 36, also revealed that he will be ringside for Fury’s boxing match with ex-UFC champion Francis Ngannou on 28 October. The crossover contest is set to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where Usyk is contracted to box Fury sometime before the end of March.
“The promotion is impressive,” Usyk said of the build to Fury vs Ngannou. “And understandably, because this is a show that people are waiting for.
“This bout is bread and butter for Tyson Fury. When someone’s saying that Ngannou can drop him, I would probably agree, but I’m really not certain. Tell me: How could the guy with no experience in boxing beat a two-metre giant who’s been in boxing for 20 years?
“Yes, Ngannou is a UFC champion, I’m not disputing it; but UFC isn’t boxing. I’m 100 per cent sure that Fury will be victorious. But if Ngannou’s relatively got a puncher’s chance, and if he hypothetically happens to send Fury tumbling to the canvas, I’ll concede that I was talking gibberish. It’s better to wait, we’ll see everything in a while.”
Usyk last fought in August, stopping Daniel Dubois after climbing off the canvas following a controversial low blow by the Briton, whose promoter Frank Warren insisted that the punch was a legal body shot.
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