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Home » Deontay Wilder accused of ducking Al Haymon’s WBC PPV plan

Deontay Wilder accused of ducking Al Haymon’s WBC PPV plan

Deontay Wilder has been accused of running from a three-year plan by Al Haymon to land the WBC mandatory position.

World Boxing News reported in 2020 that Haymon wanted Wilder to fight Andy Ruiz Jr. at the earliest opportunity.

Will Deontay Wilder vs Andy Ruiz Jr. be next?

It’s been two years of hard work by the Premier Boxing Champions boss to get to this point. Haymon even petitioned successfully for both Wilder and Ruiz’s fights in September and October to both be World Boxing Council eliminators.

This took place with the sole intention of making Wilder vs Ruiz in Las Vegas next year.

However, according to Wilder’s trainer Malik Scott, there’s no interest in facing Ruiz despite the number one contender’s promise for the bout winner.

“It’s the second half of his career. He’s not in this for money, but the fight he should take is a high-profile, big-time fight,” Scott told the BBC.

“It’d be Oleksandr Usyk, or it’d be Anthony Joshua next. I’m not interested in Deontay fighting Andy Ruiz or Frank Sanchez. None of those guys.

“He wants to be the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.”

Scott added: “He still has a fighting dark spirit when he’s in the ring.

“That’s what I like. Because once that evilness and meanness leave, that is the point to retire.

Following Scott’s words, Andy Ruiz Jr. sent out a running man emoji on his social media, accusing Wilder of ducking.

Deontay Wilder needs to win

Wilder himself is focused on Robert Helenius and getting back to winning ways. “The Bronze Bomber” hasn’t won since November 2019 when planting Luis Ortiz on the canvas again.

Oct 15 cannot come soon enough for the Alabama slammer after his two defeats to “The Gypsy King” Tyson Fury.

“You can always expect nothing but the best from me. And I don’t get paid for overtime,” said Wilder.

I’ve been known for the knockouts. I’m going to end my career continuing to get those knockouts.

“Every fight makes you a better fighter. You always have to go back and change certain things.

“Me and Tyson Fury had three memorable fights, especially for the fans, and I’m looking to keep delivering that moving forward.”

Training camp

On how training camp went, where Wilder sparred over 600 rounds, the Tuscaloosa native added: “There are a lot of things that I’ve been trying to perfect.

“What you see from me on Saturday night isn’t going to be anything new.

“We’ve just been adding to what we have. We’ve been going back to some fundamentals. We worked on our movement and combined all those things together.”

Getting back to The Barclays Center in Brooklyn, the scene of some exciting wins for Wilder, like the first round demolition of Dominic Breazeale, it’s a thrill for the American.

“I feel good. That’s all that’s going to matter. The energy is going to be there in the arena.

I’m looking forward to feeding off the crowd.

“It’s going to be fun. Robert is a great guy; we both have a warrior’s heart. We’re both willing to go out on our shields.

“This is our first time getting in the ring when it really counts. It will be electrifying to step in the ring with him in that scenario finally.”

Legacy

Concluding on what’s next and his legacy after 41 KOs in 42 wins, Wilder stated: “I’m in the game to fight the best. That’s not going to stop.

“I want the champions and the top contenders. I want all challengers. You name them. I want them.

“I want my legacy to be that I was a great man, a motivator. Someone who abided by his word.

“He gave everything he had in every fight. I want people to say that Deontay Wilder stood for something.

“All of my accomplishments have been set in stone with a statue in my hometown. Seeing everyone who came out to unite with my family meant a lot to me.

“It allowed me to understand that I’m very important to a lot of people all over the world.”

Buy Deontay Wilder vs Robert Helenius on FOX Sports PPV to see one of the best heavyweights on the planet fighting back in New York.

The winner is lined up to face Andy Ruiz Jr. for a shot at the WBC heavyweight title.

Wilder, who holds wins over Bermane Stiverne, Chris Arreola, Gerald Washington, and Johann Duhaupas, will try to detonate that huge right hand and take out the Finnish boxing star.

Tickets for the event, which BombZquad Promotions and TGB Promotions promote, are on sale now and can be purchased through seatgeek.com and barclayscenter.com. Tickets are also available in person at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center.

WBN Editor Phil Jay has over ten years of boxing news experience. Follow WBN on Facebook @officialworldboxingnews, Instagram, and Twitter @worldboxingnews.