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Sport

07th Dec 2018

WBC officially sanctions direct rematch between Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder

Wayne Farry

The Tyson Fury-Deontay Wilder rematch is official

There was much annoyance among fight fans and former pros when the recent WBC heavyweight title bout in Los Angeles between champion Deontay Wilder and challenger Tyson Fury was ruled a draw.

Much of the anger derived from the fact that Fury had dominated the 12-round fight, surprising both his opponent and the watching public with a performance filled with the sort of energy and strength not expected of a man whose fight against Sefer Seferi in June 2018 was his first appearance in the ring since a November 2015 victory against Vitali Klitschko.

Fury was downed by the mercurial but explosive Wilder late in the fight, before a miraculous rise during the referee’s 10 count.

Were it not for this knockout, many people believe that Fury would have won outright, and just as many felt like the controversial decision was made to ensure the two would return to the ring for a rematch.

Well, like it or lump it, that rematch is now going to happen after the World Boxing Council confirmed as much on Friday evening.

In a statement on the WBC Boxing website, the council said: “Wilder and Fury gave boxing one of the best fights in the heavyweight division in a long time, which has created tremendous popular demand for the fans to see a rematch.

“The WBC is happy to confirm that a direct rematch has been approved and will create in a ruling which will also consider the mandatory status of the division.”

In the immediate aftermath of the drawn fight, both fighters confirmed that they would be interested in a rematch, with Wilder reportedly wanting the fight to take place in London and Fury preferring Manchester.