Deontay Wilder admits he has not been surprised by Tyson Fury's antics that have stalled negotiations for an undisputed heavyweight title fight with Oleksandr Usyk.
The hard-hitting American has dealt with Fury for three fights, with the pair putting on a legendary trilogy for the WBC heavyweight belt from 2018 to 2022. He never came out on top in any of those bouts, drawing the first and being stopped in the second and third, but still harbours ambitions of forcing himself into a fourth showdown.
But he will first need to beat Anthony Joshua, with whom he appears to have a deal for a bout in December after seven years of build-up between the pair. At one point, they held every heavyweight belt there was, but even without a strap on the line their meeting in Saudi Arabia will be one of boxing's biggest fights.
Middle Eastern officials had been keen on running an unprecedented four-man tournament for the undisputed title, with Joshua and Wilder fighting to face the winner of Fury vs Usyk. But it appears that the Manchester native is the only one holding up talks, with agreements nearing for the other three men involved.
"Knowing him and knowing his personality you wouldn't be surprised," Wilder told Mirror Fighting in an exclusive chat at last night's PFL MMA show in Atlanta, Georgia. "He's one of those types of people, indecisive at times. He's one of those people like 'I have what I want to do' but when it comes time to sign it up he changes up.
"So when you know him it ain't surprising, we'll see what happens at the end of the day but if he don't sign it me and Anthony will still proceed."
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Speaking about the Joshua fight, Wilder offered positive updates, declaring that it will "definitely" happen this year. "The offer is definitely out there, the discussion has been talked and it's a real thing," he added. "I think it definitely is going to take place, Saudi Arabia is a beautiful place to be, even though I know they get a lot of heat on the past activities that have went on in their country.
"They understand that but at this point in time they really have changed a lot of the laws and a lot of the ways of things. They don't need tourists, but they want to show people their country and what they have to offer so they've lessened up a lot on the laws over there and for me to go over to visit, in my first hand opinion, it was a beautiful place to be.
"They're serious, they're legit about what they'll do and what they're trying to do. If they do what they're trying to do, that's going to be the next big place to fight at."
