Deontay Wilder's coach Malik Scott is confident Oleksandr Usyk will become yet another victim of the former champion's vicious knockout power.
Wilder has only lost to one man in his professional career; Usyk's next opponent Tyson Fury. The Ukrainian never lost on his way to undisputed cruiserweight gold, and could now become a rare title holder in two divisions should he get the result over the Brit in a bout expected to take place this March.
And after a comeback win over Robert Helenius, Wilder has re-emerged as a potential world title contender. He and Andy Ruiz Jr have been told that the winner of a prospective fight between the pair will be made mandatory challenger for the WBC title, which Usyk would hold if he were to beat Fury this year meaning a potential meeting could be on the cards.
"One plus one is two, and Usyk gets hit," Scott explained to Mirror Fighting . "Deontay is the hardest puncher in the history of the sport. And Deontay doesn't have to hit you over and over and over, if you're tough enough to take it then you can take it but Usyk is a smaller man, but we'll see how much Usyk can take it."
First, however, Wilder must get through the former unified heavyweight champion Ruiz, whose two career losses are to Anthony Joshua in an ill-disciplined title defence and a controversial points loss to another ex-champion in Joseph Parker. The pair are both PBC fighters, and will likely compete for that WBC mandatory position within this year.
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"Andy Ruiz is a serious test," Scott said of the former champion, who they are not taking lightly as they pursue a second world title run to end Wilder's career on a high note. "Not just for Deontay but for anybody. But for a disciplined Deontay, in my opinion Andy Ruiz doesn't even come close to being in the same league with him.
"Because what beats Andy Ruiz? Discipline! An old [Chris] Arreola gave him trouble just with discipline. That second Joshua fight with Andy Ruiz, Joshua beat him just with discipline. How do you beat Andy Ruiz? It's just something that he lacks which is discipline."
However, Wilder won't have any particular issue with either winner, as he is also keen to face Fury once again, despite being viciously knocked out in two of their three world title fights. The pair drew their first meeting before the Manchester native brutalised his American rival in 2020 and 2021 on his way to stoppage wins in both rematches.
