The new crop of heavyweight contenders may be eager to test themselves against Oleksandr Usyk, but the Ukrainian superstar has his sights set elsewhere. At 38, with only a few years left in the sport, Usyk wants to cross off every major name in the division before he hangs up the gloves. That list includes former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder, a once-feared knockout artist now well past his prime.

Usyk has no shortage of challengers after defeating Daniel Dubois earlier this year to become a two-time undisputed heavyweight champion. But his reign didn’t last long—WBO stripped him of the title, which now belongs to Fabio Wardley. The Brit has already expressed interest in sharing the ring with ‘The Cat.’ He’s not alone, as contenders like Agit Kabayal and Moses Itauma have also raised their hands. Still, Usyk seems to have already made up his mind.

Oleksandr Usyk wants just one man

Speaking to Boxing King Media at the WBC convention, Usyk opened up about his plans for 2026. “I think next year, I want to fight with Deontay Wilder,” he said. “For me, I think it’s interesting. He’s a world champion guy, this is a very famous guy, this is a strong guy. One of his great heavyweights in the last 10 years. Special information. I speak with my team, I say, this is my first task.”

When asked who else Oleksandr Usyk is considering, he made it clear that there is no Plan B. “We didn’t talk about this. We didn’t speak about this. Now I have only one option with Deontay,” Usyk concluded. Wilder, of course, has struggled since his losses to Tyson Fury in 2020 and 2021, dropping two of his last four bouts. He did, however, rebound earlier this year with a knockout win over Tyrrell Anthony Herndon.

To Deontay Wilder’s credit, he also appears interested in the matchup. “We have plans for next year, and we’d like Oleksandr Usyk to be part of them,” Wilder’s co-manager Shelly Finkel told Sky Sports. “If we receive the right offer, we would be open to that fight.” The showdown is unusual in that Usyk could defend his titles against rising contenders, but seems determined to chase the fight he wants—something not uncommon in boxing.

However, this choice has prompted some fans to draw parallels with UFC CEO Dana White’s recent matchmaking decisions after Happy Punch shared Usyk’s comments.

Dana White catches strays 

Reacting to Usyk’s choice, fans quickly flooded the comment section with mixed opinions. One user drew a direct comparison to the UFC’s recent matchmaking decisions. “This is some UFC-level match-making,” the user commented. The remark referenced the UFC pairing Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett for the interim lightweight title, despite Arman Tsarukyan earning the No. 1 contender spot after defeating Dan Hooker at UFC Qatar.

Another user echoed the sentiment, bringing Dana White into the conversation. “Bro is doing the Dana White WWE matchmaking 😂😂😂,” they wrote. From their perspective, Usyk is simply opting for an easier final fight—one that guarantees a payday and a high chance of ending his career on a win.

Not everyone was critical, though. One fan embraced the idea. “Honestly, I’d love to see it. It’s new, it’s different, and it might even be competitive,” the user commented. However, in reality, the matchup is far from competitive on paper. Wilder has relied almost entirely on his power, while Usyk has dominated the heavyweight landscape with elite skill and wins over the division’s top names.

Another user understood the narrative surrounding Wilder at this stage of his career. “Wilders just signing up at this point to say I got KOd by all the greats! 😂,” they wrote. To date, Wilder’s only knockout losses have come at the hands of Tyson Fury and Zhilei Zhang.

A different commenter viewed the matchup as the final piece of Usyk’s mission. “He [is] trying to clean out an era of boxing and prove he [is] the best savage,” the user said. Still, names like Joseph Parker remain, opponents that Usyk would be skipping over.

In any case, Usyk appears set on the path he wants to take. Fans aren’t entirely against it, but many are aware of how this choice sidelines more deserving contenders. What do you think about the potential fight?