Less than two weeks after losing his rematch against Tyson Fury, Deontay Wilder has exercised his option for a third heavyweight bout between the two boxers. Dan Rafael of ESPN is reporting the initial plan is for the fight to take place on July 18th of this year at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.Wilder-Fury II had an estimated 800,000 PPV buys which was more than double their first fight and the most of any heavyweight fight since 2002. With the attention the second fight garnered after the fact, it shouldn’t surprise anyone if the third part of the trilogy between the two boxers surpasses that number.
Many boxing insiders reported Wilder’s plans to exercise the rematch clause immediately after the fight, but it wasn’t until Sunday that it was made official. Wilder claims that he was hindered in the February 22nd match due to the toll his 40+ pound pre-fight costume took on his body.
Wilder lost by TKO in round 7 after his trainer, who was fired last week, threw in the towel. Wilder said in his post-fight interview in the ring, “I just wish that my corner would’ve let me went out on my shield.”
Photo: (Isaac Brekken – AP Photo)
