WILDER TO EXECUTE REMATCH CLAUSE

Deontay Wilder has announced he will execute the rematch clause against Tyson Fury which means we will see the trilogy this summer, most likely in June back in Las Vegas.

The 34-year-old American blamed his lacklustre performance on his extravagant costume, worn as a tribute to Black History Month which weighed 40 pounds and left his ‘legs dead’. Wilder claimed he only had chance to try it on for the first time the night before the fight and didn’t expect it to be that heavy.

“He [Fury] didn’t hurt me at all, but the simple fact is… that my uniform was way too heavy for me. I didn’t have no legs from the beginning of the fight. In the 3rd round my legs were shot all the way through.”

Co-trainer Mark Breland threw in the towel in the 7th round and Wilder is so upset about it, he has suggested Breland may no longer be part of his team. It was previously understood between the team that Wilder’s wishes was to never throw the towel in. “I said I was a warrior, as a champion, as a leader, as a ruler, I want to go out on my shield… So I told my team to never, ever, no matter what it may look like, to never throw the towel in with me because I’m a special kind. I still had 5 rounds left. No matter what it looked like, I was still in the fight.”

Andre Ward was keen to have his say on the matter, “Trainer Mark Breland cared more about Deontay Wilder the person, than he did Deontay Wilder the business. He showed compassion. He is also the most qualified person in that corner to make that decision. He’s been there and done that. What’s popular is not always what’s right.”

The Bronze Bomber also took the opportunity to have a pop at referee Kenny Bayless. “The referee told me specifically that if I hit him on the back of the head or hit him on the break, he’d disqualify me… but I guess that was only directed toward me because he allowed Fury to do those things. The one thing that bothered me of everything.”

There was a lot speculation as to the extent of Wilder’s injuries sustained in the fight. He did not suffer a broken ear drum or jaw as early reports suggested, just a 2cm cut inside his left ear which required 7 stiches. Head trainer Jay Deas told the press at the post fight conference that this may have effected Wilder’s balance and equilibrium early on in the fight.

Wilder will now take a vacation to Africa until the end of march and will get back to boxing on his return.