Rico Verhoeven has accepted an offer to face Deontay Wilder on December 11, potentially adding another heavyweight contest to the Tyson Fury–Anthony Joshua undercard in Cardiff.
Wilder has yet to respond, and the terms remain subject to negotiation. Verhoeven, however, has made his eagerness clear as he pursues a continued boxing career following his stoppage loss to Oleksandr Usyk.
“I can’t confirm just yet,” Verhoeven told talkSPORT. “What I can tell you is that they offered me the fight. They offered me Deontay Wilder. I said yes.”
“The details need to be talked about still. But for that, I’m waiting on a response. So, if there’s a yes from the other side, it’s going to happen.”
Verhoeven did not disclose who extended the offer. His comments present another potential opponent for Wilder, who had previously been linked to a bout with Jai Opetaia on the same event.
A fight with Wilder would allow Verhoeven to convert the goodwill he earned against Usyk into a win over an established heavyweight. Lasting deep into the Usyk bout brought him attention, but defeating Wilder would provide a more solid foundation.
There is clear risk in viewing Wilder as a faded name to add to a résumé. His right hand remains a threat that Verhoeven must respect. Still, Wilder’s diminished activity and cautious offense in recent outings could give the Dutchman time to settle into the fight.
Verhoeven also confirmed his intention to remain in boxing after weighing multiple offers.
“I want to make a statement,” he said. “I want to show that … I am able to transition into the sport of boxing.”
Peter Fury remains in his corner, and Verhoeven is already looking past the proposed December date. He hopes Anthony Joshua defeats Fury because he wants that fight next.
“I hope that Anthony Joshua’s winning that fight because then I’m next for him.”
Beating Wilder would strengthen that ambition. First, Wilder must accept.
Matching Wilder with Verhoeven spares Jai Opetaia a strange heavyweight detour that threatened to disrupt his cruiserweight meeting with David Benavidez. That alone makes it marginally more acceptable than the initial rumor, though it remains a spectacle booking.
Wilder has appeared diminished for years. At 40, his timing is hesitant, his balance is compromised, and the reflex to unleash his right hand has eroded. Grinding out a 12-round split decision over an aging Derek Chisora did not erase the lopsided defeats he suffered against Joseph Parker, Fury, or Zhilei Zhang.
Verhoeven, 37, demonstrated his toughness by surviving into the eleventh round against Oleksandr Usyk, but survival is not contention. He is an elite kickboxer with a limited boxing record, still mastering fundamental ring craft under boxing rules.
Pairing two aging names with mismatched credentials belongs on the preliminary streaming segment, not sharing equal billing beneath Fury versus Joshua. It serves novelty rather than sport.
