Mark Robinson / Matchroom Boxing

Rico Verhoeven is the latest fighter to be linked with Deontay Wilder, with the kickboxer claiming he is in talks to face the former WBC heavyweight champion on the December 11 undercard of Anthony Joshua-Tyson Fury.

Verhoeven, 1-1 (1 KO), gatecrashed the heavyweight landscape in May when he appeared on the verge of beating Oleksandr Usyk, only for the Ukrainian to rally and secure an 11th-round stoppage victory in Egypt.

With pressure mounting to face Agit Kabayel, Usyk subsequently relinquished his WBC, WBA and IBF heavyweight titles. He has not fought since but was, for some time, thought to be heading towards a ‘last dance’ with Wilder.

It is understood that talks broke down for financial reasons.

Last week, Zuffa Boxing's Dana White confirmed that Jai Opetaia had agreed to face Wilder in Cardiff on December 11.

On Thursday, Opetaia's promotional stablemate Chris Billam-Smith told Sky Sports that he also believed the Australian would take on Wilder.

But Billam-Smith, who faces Cheavon Clarke on November 7, added: “If Opetaia was to pull out of the Wilder fight, I’ll fight Wilder… I’ve always wanted to fight him.”

“We got an offer for the December 11 card,” he said.

“I can't confirm just yet [that I will be on the card].

“What I can confirm is that they offered me a fight with Deontay Wilder, and I said yes.”

Previous reports suggested that Verhoeven, from the Netherlands, was also being considered as a potential opponent for new IBF champion Filip Hrgovic.

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Chris Billam-Smith