Wilder manager says Usyk ‘last dance’ talks broke down over money

Talks for Oleksandr Usyk to face Deontay Wilder in the United States have broken down after the parties failed to agree financial terms, according to Wilder’s manager, Shelly Finkel.

Usyk had identified Wilder as his preferred opponent for what the unbeaten lineal heavyweight champion described as his “last dance” before retirement. Wilder was interested in the fight, but Finkel told Dan Rafael’s Fight Freaks Unite that Usyk’s financial demands could not be met.

“Usyk asked for more money than Zuffa or Turki (Alalshikh) wanted to pay,” Finkel said.

Usyk, 25-0 (16 KOs), became undisputed heavyweight champion for a second time before relinquishing his three remaining sanctioning-body belts in June. The 39-year-old Ukrainian wants his final fight to take place in the US, although neither an opponent nor a platform has been announced.

Wilder weighs Opetaia and Gassiev options

Wilder could instead face lineal cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia on the undercard of Tyson Fury-Anthony Joshua at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on December 11. The event is due to be shown by Netflix, with Opetaia moving up to heavyweight if terms are agreed.

Finkel said Alalshikh’s team had contacted him to establish Wilder’s interest in facing Opetaia. He is waiting for a response while also holding discussions with representatives of WBA heavyweight titleholder Murat Gassiev, Wilder’s preferred option if the terms are comparable.

“I’ve had conversations and I’m waiting for them to get back to me about Dec. 11,” Finkel said. “All things being equal Deontay would like to fight (WBA titleholder Murat) Gassiev.

“When I brought it to the people at Zuffa and with Turki they said they weren’t interested. They were interested in Deontay against Opetaia and I said, ‘Fine. This is what we’re looking for.’ We went back and forth and they said OK to a number but I haven’t heard back from them so we are also talking to Gassiev’s people.”

Wilder, 45-4-1 (43 KOs), returned with a split-decision victory over his friend Derek Chisora in London in April. The former WBC heavyweight champion went 0-2-1 in his trilogy with Fury and never secured the long-discussed fight with Joshua.

Opetaia, 31-0 (24 KOs), is signed to Zuffa Boxing. He stopped former two-time WBC cruiserweight champion Noel Mikaelian in the ninth round at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on September 12 and would be making his heavyweight debut against Wilder.

Finkel is awaiting a response to the proposed terms for the Opetaia fight while continuing talks with Gassiev’s representatives.