The WBC have ordered Deontay Wilder to defend his WBC World heavyweight title against mandatory challenger Dominic Breazeale.
Following the announcement that lineal heavyweight champion Tyson Fury will not pursue an immediate rematch with ‘The Bronze Bomber’, Wilder now turns his attention to mandatory challenger Breazeale ahead of a potential return bout with Fury later in 2019.
Wilder and Fury’s teams had been in locked in negotiations for a second instalment following their controversial split draw in December of 2018.
Having ordered the fight, the WBC had delayed purse bids on two separate occasions in the hope a deal could be agreed.
However, with Fury recently announcing a shock deal with Bob Arum’s Top Rank Boxing and ESPN+, it would appear that network politics have scuppered a deal – with Wilder tied to Arum’s bitter rival Al Haymon and having fought exclusively on Showtime since claiming heavyweight title against Bermane Stiverne in 2015.
Despite both fighters’ camps initially claiming and their respective broadcast agreements wouldn’t interfere with negotiations, this initial setback could be a damning sign of things to come.
Meanwhile Breazeale – whose solitary loss came at the hands of unified champion Anthony Joshua in 2016 – will finally have the opportunity to make good on his mandatory status.
Though Breazeale had been slated to face off against British contender Dillian Whyte for the interim title – with Wilder set to rematch Fury – the latest developments have allowed the 33-year-old to face his compatriot: thus leaving Whyte in an all-too-familiar state of limbo.
Article by: Andi Purewal
Follow Andi on Twitter at: @AndiPurewal