Two of boxing’s most battle-tested heavyweights appear headed for a collision course. Former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder and longtime contender Derek Chisora are finalizing a deal for a fight later this year, according to Wilder’s manager Shelly Finkel.
“We are in negotiations and it’s close,” Finkel told Sky Sports.
The news was first reported by Brunch Boxing, with an April date in London currently being targeted a setting that would strongly favor Chisora from an atmosphere standpoint, but one Wilder has never shied away from.
A Turn Away From Usyk
The development comes as a surprise given Wilder’s repeated insistence that he was deep in talks to face undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk. Usyk himself has publicly expressed interest in the matchup, which many viewed as one of the last remaining elite heavyweight showdowns.
Instead, Wilder (44-4-1, 43 KOs) now appears to be pivoting toward a different though still dangerous challenge.
At 40 years old, Wilder is searching for momentum. While he scored a seventh-round knockout of Tyrrell Herndon on June 27, 2025, the performance did little to convince skeptics that the Alabama native has fully rediscovered the frightening explosiveness that once defined his reign. Prior to that win, Wilder lost four of his previous five fights, with three defeats coming by stoppage.
Once feared as boxing’s ultimate eraser, Wilder now enters any major fight with questions surrounding durability, timing, and consistency.
Chisora’s Last Stand?
If Wilder is fighting to prove he still belongs, Chisora may be fighting to close the book.
The 41-year-old Chisora (36-13, 23 KOs) has enjoyed a late-career resurgence, winning three straight bouts and looking reenergized in the process. His most recent victory a gritty win over Otto Wallin on February 8, 2025 prompted Chisora to publicly outline his endgame.
Following that fight, Chisora said he intends to retire after his 50th professional bout. A showdown with Wilder would fit that script perfectly: a former world champion, global name recognition, and the kind of violent, high-stakes matchup that has defined Chisora’s career from the start.
Violence Guaranteed
On paper, the matchup is simple to sell. Wilder brings fight-ending power that still commands respect. Chisora brings relentless pressure, granite toughness, and a willingness to turn every fight into a war of attrition.
Neither man is known for subtlety. In London, with Chisora feeding off the crowd and Wilder looking to silence doubts once and for all, the fight has the ingredients of a throwback heavyweight brawl the kind that doesn’t need a belt to matter.
For Wilder, it’s a chance to stay relevant in a division that has moved on quickly. For Chisora, it could be the final, brutal chapter of a career built on durability and defiance. If negotiations are finalized, one thing is certain: this won’t be a tune-up.
Canelo Alvarez Named World’s Second-Highest Paid Athlete After Earning $137 Million in 2025
Welcome to Dice City Sports — where we provide premium, exclusive, up-to-date news and analysis surrounding the Las Vegas sports scene. Follow along on social media, and check back for new articles daily!
Robert LaMar is a writer for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @RobertLaMar26
