Malik Scott, who has coached the former WBC Champion since 2021, believes that Oleksandr Usyk should swerve an undisputed fight and face his man instead.
It looked certain that Usyk and Fury were headed straight into a fight that would see the winner walk away with the WBC, WBA, IBF, and WBO heavyweight straps. After some back and forth about timing, Fury has taken a bout against Derek Chisora to tide him over until next year.
Deontay Wilder, now back in the picture after two big losses to Fury, called out Usyk following his first round knockout of Robert Helenius. Speaking to ES News, his trainer, Malik Scott, said that the Ukrainian champion should put a fight with the ‘unpredictable’ Fury on hold and face a more intriguing challenge in ‘The Bronze Bomber’ instead.
“I think he [Usyk] should hold off on Fury and wait for us, just fight us … One, because there’s no telling what Fury’s going to do. There’s no telling.”
“Plus I’m just greedy, I like the position that my guy, Deontay, is in right now – mentally, physically, spiritually. He’s just in a very dangerous space right now, and I want Usyk to fight the most dangerous fighter in the world. Like I said, don’t nobody respect Usyk on US soil the way that I do – but I also know who I’m training is the most lethal fighter in the history of the sport.”
Whilst the Ukrainian champion said recently that he was open to a Wilder fight, he has since reinforced his desire to become undisputed – and the only thing that can quench that thirst is a fight with ‘The Gypsy King.’ It’s expected that, should Fury come through Chisora in December, they will make the fight for early March next year.
As for Wilder, the WBC expects him to face Andy Ruiz Jr as a final eliminator, the winner becoming next in line to challenge for Fury’s WBC belt. Whether or not they take the fight remains to be seen.