Boxing: Wilder vs. Fury: Recetition approved!

After the much-discussed draw in the fight for the WBC belt between Tyson Fury and heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder, the World Boxing Council has approved a direct rematch between the two boxers.

This was announced by the boxing association in a statement on Friday evening. “The World Boxing Council held a vote unanimously approving a direct rematch between WBC Champion Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury,” WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman is quoted in this release.

“Wilder and Fury have shown the boxing world one of the best heavyweight fights in a long time and the fans’ desire for a rematch is enormous,” explained Sulaiman.

Actually, Wilders’ next compulsory defence would have been a fight against his compatriot Dominic Breazeale. However, the WBC’s decision means that Wilder can now box against Fury without running the risk of losing his title.

Shortly after the end of the fight, both Fury and Wilder had made it clear that they both wanted a rematch. Also because the outcome of the eagerly awaited fight was controversial: Although Fury had gone down in the ninth and twelfth rounds, many experts were of the opinion that the 30-year-old Briton should have won on points.

Especially the judgement of the Mexican referee Alejandro Rochin caused outrage in the Fury camp: He had scored seven of the twelve rounds for Wilder. Fury later described this as a “gift” to his opponent and “the worst decision” he had ever seen.

After the first fight between Fury and Wilder took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, the rematch could possibly take place in England, the home of Fury. “I hope I can box against him at Old Trafford in the summer,” the Gypsy King said in an interview with BT Sport in early December. However, Las Vegas in May should also be a possibility for the rematch.