“We are in negotiations, and it’s close,” Wilder’s co manager Shelly Finkel told Sky Sports.
That is as far as anyone involved is willing to go publicly. Queensberry Promotions, who promote Chisora, declined to comment.
For a stretch, Wilder appeared to be lining up something bigger. Unified champion Oleksandr Usyk said he was open to defending his titles in the United States, and Wilder’s name was part of that discussion. That route stalled. Chisora stayed in view.
The two did little to cool things down at the IBA Pro 13 event in Dubai last month, where they went face to face in a tense exchange that looked deliberate, even if nothing official followed.
Wilder fought once last year. He stopped Tyrrell Anthony Herndon in seven rounds, his first appearance since being knocked out by Zhilei Zhang. The win steadied things, but it left open the bigger question of where Wilder actually stands now.
Chisora, now 42, has stayed active. He has won four of his last five fights, including victories over Joe Joyce and Kubrat Pulev. His most recent bout came last February, when he dropped Otto Wallin twice and took a clear decision.
Chisora has openly suggested his next fight could be his last. Before Wilder moved into position, there had been talk of a third fight with Dillian Whyte or a title shot against Fabio Wardley.
If this deal gets done, it is not a soft landing for either man. Someone leaves with real damage, and the result will say more about where they are than anything either has said in the last year.
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