STWF Sports | Dec. 15, 2025 – Deontay Wilder is plotting a two-fight resurgence — one that could begin with Derek Chisora and end with Oleksandr Usyk. The former WBC heavyweight champion has fought just once since 2023, a labored stoppage win over journeyman Tyrrell Herndon last June, and many in the boxing world believe the “Bronze Bomber” is deep into the twilight of his career.

But Wilder insists he isn’t done yet. In fact, he believes his biggest opportunities may still be ahead of him.

Wilder confirms Usyk negotiations: “It’s becoming a real conversation”

In a stunning twist last month, unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk publicly called out Wilder — not Anthony Joshua, not Tyson Fury — as his priority opponent for 2026. It was the most unexpected of matchmaking developments, reviving a fight that had been rumored for years but never seriously pursued.

Now, Wilder has confirmed to talkSPORT that negotiations with Usyk are active and serious.

“It is definitely becoming a real conversation,” Wilder said.
“We’re in talks for that fight. Once everything becomes clearer, that’s when my blood will be pumping.”

If finalized, it would mark Wilder’s first bout against an elite-level opponent since his trilogy with Fury — and perhaps his last chance at reclaiming heavyweight relevance.

A face-off with Chisora ignites a new storyline

But before any Usyk showdown, Wilder is considering a very different kind of challenge.

At last week’s IBA Men’s Boxing World Championship event, Wilder and Derek Chisora stole the spotlight with a heated face-off that quickly went viral. Chisora, who has long targeted Wilder and is preparing for his 50th — and likely final — fight, pulled the American into a brief physical scuffle before security intervened.

The confrontation has fueled talk that Chisora vs Wilder could be next.

Wilder now says he is open to the fight — even eager.

“Derek Chisora, you want it, you can get it,” Wilder declared.
“That might be my warm-up fight. We were supposed to fight years ago.
This opportunity means it can finally happen.”

Is it really just a ‘tune-up’? Chisora is in form again

Although Wilder views Chisora as a warm-up, treating him as such would be a dangerous miscalculation.

Chisora, 39, has enjoyed a late-career resurgence. He has recently beaten Gerald Washington, Joe Joyce, and Otto Wallin in consecutive victories — a run few expected from the battle-tested veteran known as “WAR.”

And according to Chisora, the Wilder fight was already signed for December 13 before a mysterious call derailed the agreement.

“That is fight number 50 right there,” Chisora said.
“George Warren made the fight for December 13. Then Deontay got a phone call from the big boss, and he had to pull out.”

The “big boss,” of course, is widely assumed to be someone tied to the Usyk negotiations — suggesting that Wilder’s team instructed him to avoid injury while the bigger fight is in play.

A crossroads year for Wilder

For Wilder, 2026 may determine whether his career ends quietly or climaxes with one last monumental world-title push.

A win over Chisora would help rebuild confidence and prove he still carries the same explosive power that made him one of boxing’s most feared knockout artists. But a loss would almost certainly erase any hopes of facing Usyk — and perhaps end Wilder’s career altogether.

Chisora, meanwhile, wants one final payday and one final war. And there are few fighters better suited for that than Wilder.

With both men publicly campaigning for the fight, all signs point toward a blockbuster clash early next year — with the Usyk showdown looming behind it.

The heavyweight division has been unpredictable in recent years, but one thing is clear:

If Wilder wants Usyk, he’ll have to get through WAR first.