Lapin on Usyk vs. Wilder: ‘Interest in the US turned out to be higher’

Serhii Lapin, director of the team of WBA, WBC, IBF and IBO heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk, spoke about the progress of negotiations for a fight between the Ukrainian and former world champion Deontay Wilder.

– Egis Klimas said there is movement in talks for a fight in April or May in the USA. Can you give any further details?

– I can say a bit more than what has already been mentioned publicly: discussions are taking place on more than one front, and the level of interest in this fight in the United States has turned out to be broader than many expected. In the near future, the picture will become clearer, a well-balanced decision will be made, and it’s quite possible that there will be a few genuinely interesting surprises. This direction has been important for Oleksandr for a long time, and everything is now moving the right way.

– What did you make of Wilder’s reaction to the call-out?

– It was a great reaction. You can see that he genuinely wants it. The opportunity to step into the ring with the best boxer in the world is a serious challenge and a huge motivation for any fighter. These are the kinds of fights that move boxing forward.

– Mauricio told me he is happy to sanction the fight, meaning Usyk wouldn’t have to give up any titles. Is this the scenario you were hoping for?

– Yes, these are exactly the steps and decisions we needed. This approach allows us to preserve the sporting logic of the process and move forward without unnecessary compromises.

– Would you prefer the fight to take place in Las Vegas, at venues like MGM Grand or T-Mobile Arena, given their historic status?

– First and foremost, it comes down to the number of spectators — the bigger the venue, the better. Scale matters. The historical significance of a venue is also important and adds weight to the event, but the key factor remains capacity and the atmosphere of a truly big fight.