Deontay Wilder secured his place among the great heavyweights of his era on Saturday night in an unreal saga opposite the number one on the planet.
As the saying goes, to be a legend, you need a legendary dance partner. And that’s what Wilder and Tyson Fury had in Las Vegas.
Both will now take their rightful place as two of the best top division fighters of the last decade, from their humble beginnings until the culmination at the T-Mobile Arena.
Wilder will fight on after talk of retirement. Therefore, WBN decided to look at the options available to the “Bronze Bomber” moving forward.
DEONTAY WILDER OPTIONS
Immediate options
Andy Ruiz Jr.
The obvious one for the first half of 2022 would be Andy Ruiz Jr. – As World Boxing News reported first, Wilder and Ruiz has long been on the mind of Al Haymon since the pair held world titles simultaneously.
Ruiz, unfortunately, got locked into a rematch with Anthony Joshua, therefore making a fight for the undisputed world title null and void.
Fury then took Wilder’s green and gold belt, leaving the clash without a strap. That didn’t stop Haymon, though. He still knew it was a viable PPV event.
If it happens, it could be one of the biggest heavyweight fights of 2022, with the winner gaining a sure shot at a champion.
Dillian Whyte
Dependent on what Tyson Fury decides to do, Wilder and Whyte could meet for the vacant WBC heavyweight championship.
If Fury retires or gives up the title, the WBC will call Wilder to face Whyte as the long-time number one contender before Saturday night.
Robert Helenius
Another option would be putting Wilder in against the huge Finn. If any other options fail, Wilder vs. Helenius would be an ideal scenario to keep interests high in the Premier Boxing Champions portion of the division.
Helenius is built Fury-style and sparred Wilder during the build-up. Therefore, pitting himself against another big man could be another sort of redemption.
Ryan Hafey
Later in 2022
Anthony Joshua
Long-time rival Anthony Joshua could be a consideration. However, Wilder is reluctant to deal with AJ after being messed around during the 2018 negotiations.
If Joshua loses to Oleksandr Usyk again in the first half of 2022, they could meet. But maybe not in the immediate future for Wilder.
Oleksandr Usyk
After the second installment, the current unified ruler has to face Joshua again but would be free, possibly for a voluntary defense.
Tyson Fury IV
There’s an outside chance of a fight with Fury happening again somewhere down the line. There’s undoubtedly the demand after last weekend’s fantastic clash.
If Fury becomes undisputed and Deontay Wilder beats one of Joshua, Whyte, or Usyk, “The Gypsy King” might come calling again – who knows?