Undefeated WBC World Heavyweight Champion teased fans regarding a big announcement today. Now it’s official: Wilder will rematch undefeated former heavyweight champion Tyson Fury provided he defeat Luis Ortiz this fall.
Wilder (41-0-1, 40 KOs) made the announcement on social media:
Wilder and Fury (27-0-1, 19 KOs) first fought last December at Staples Center in California. The mega-fight ended in a disputed 12-round draw. Fury outboxed Wilder for long stretches but suffered two knockdowns late, one in the ninth and the other in the 12th–rising from the latter in a miraculous moment–that forced the even verdict on the cards.
The two were initially slated to rematch on May 18. But the UK-based Fury pulled out of negotiations to sign a deal with U.S. network ESPN and a co-promotional agreement with Top Rank Promotions. The maneuver put a kibbutz on the return encounter. Wilder fought top contender Dominic Breazeale, flattening the veteran in one round.
But as folks clamored for the top heavyweights to fight again, it appears the respective camps negotiated in private working to finalize a deal which Wilder, coincidentally, announced moments after WBA/IBF/WBO World Heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua stepped off the scales at the weigh-in for Saturday night’s title defense versus contender Andy Ruiz Jr.
Of course, Wilder will need to get past Ortiz first, also a dangerous rematch of their March 2018 battle. In that first bout, Wilder dropped Ortiz in the fifth, only to find himself badly staggered in a wild seventh round. The champion dug deep to score two knockdowns in the 10th to put Ortiz away. A victory in the rematch, tentatively scheduled for September 28, is not a given. But if the Tuscaloosa, Alabama native emerges victorious fans will be treated to another super bout afterward.
Stay tuned to BoxingAfrica.com for more details.
