loading . . . Usyk Explains Why Deontay Wilder Is the Lion He Wants to Hunt Oleksandr Usyk explained why Deontay Wilder sits at the top of his personal hit list â and it has nothing to do with belts, rankings, or business.
Speaking with the same calm conviction that has defined his rise from undisputed cruiserweight king to two-time undisputed heavyweight ruler, Usyk made it clear that choosing Wilder is about answering a deeper challenge â the kind only a puncher of Wilderâs reputation can pose.
Usyk: âThe Catâ chasing the divisionâs most dangerous puncher
âI want to fight Wilder because heâs a very famous guy during the last few years, was a champion, and is a very dangerous opponent,â Usyk explained. âIâm not looking for a dangerous guy, as all my opponents are dangerous.â
Wilder, to Usyk, isnât just another contender â heâs the heavyweight test that exposes a fighterâs nerve long before a punch is thrown. Usyk isnât interested in sidestepping that test. He wants to confront it.
âSize doesnât matter,â he said. âIf size mattered, the king of the animals would be the elephant.â
Then came the line that sums him up: âMy nickname is the cat. But the cat is very dangerous. Lion is two cat, tiger is two cat.â
For Usyk, Wilder is simply another âlionâ the cat intends to tame.
No interest in the size debate
Since moving to heavyweight, discussion has centred on size, reach, and weight â none of which ever concerned him.
âFor two years I lived in the gym, and I am champion,â he said. âMy most difficult opponent is me. Always, the chances for me are fifty-fifty, but I win all the time.â
For Usyk, heavyweight success is discipline, not dimensions. His âsecond Alexanderâ persona switches on when it matters most.
God, family, work â everything else follows
Long camps away from home have only sharpened his priorities.
âGod, family, team, friends, cars, house, dogs, cats, food, and motorbike,â he listed. âListen⊠money is the effect of the work.â
Wilder, in that order of life, isnât a payday. He has another task to complete.
Old-school inspiration, modern motivation
Evander Holyfieldâs path continues to resonate with Usyk.
âI read a lot about him,â Usyk said. âWhen we met, it was very interesting to hear the old school stuff⊠If you continue to work, you will grow.â
Itâs that mentality â persistence, repetition, growth â that drives his interest in Wilder. Greatness, not danger, is the pursuit.
War at home, perspective everywhere
On Ukraine, Usykâs tone turned solemn.
âOur people are smart and brave, defending themselves against aggression against those who are trying to destroy our independence.â
The conflict has sharpened every moment of his career, adding gravity to every fight he takes.
And the hair? Usyk just smiles
Asked about his current look, he simply grinned.
âListen, Iâve heard the Beatles. Like or not like, I cannot say⊠Fifty-fifty, but I do like my hair.â
The bottom line
Usyk doesnât want Wilder for ease, danger, or money. He wants the fight because Wilder represents the heavyweight puzzle that only a select few dare to solve.
The cat is ready to play, and Wilder is next in line.
About the Author
Phil Jay is the Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News (WBN), a veteran boxing reporter with 15+ years of experience. He has interviewed dozens of world champions, broken international exclusives, and reported ringside at the sportâs most significant events since founding WBN in 2010. Read full bio. https://www.worldboxingnews.com/oleksandr-usyk-deontay-wilder-lion-hunt/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=bluesky
