Deontay Wilder has confirmed he wants a rematch with Tyson Fury.
In an Instagram post by the WBC heavyweight champion, Wilder said he ‘can’t wait’ to fight Fury again, ‘to end the controversial talk around the world once and for all’.
The two boxers’ much-publicised fight in Los Angeles at the Staples Center on Saturday, December 1 ended in a controversial draw, with many believing Fury should have won.
Writing on Instagram, Wilder said:
It was an amazing fight and I wanted nothing but greatness to come from this. The fight lived up to the hype more than ever.
When you put the best against the best, exciting things happens. [sic] I take nothing away from this fight but we won this fight.
To beat the champion you must dominate the champ and to me I was the more aggressive fighter and landed the more affective punches.
You saw the best fury but you did not get the best Wilder and I still managed to get the job done. [sic]
He added:
The ref #Jack Reiss is an amazing ref in which I’ve had the pleasure to work with on several occasions and he did a great job and at the end of the day boxing wins, the fans are the real winner and I can’t wait for Wilder Fury 2. [sic]
To end the controversial talk around the world once and for all!
A date or official confirmation for the rematch is yet to be decided, but Fury’s promoter, Frank Warren, is reportedly looking to stage it at a football stadium in the UK, according to the Mirror.
The contract for the fight is said to have included a rematch clause, and during the post-match press conference, both Fury and Wilder said they wanted to take that opportunity.
Wilder said he wanted the rematch to be in America again, naturally, but Fury, a lifelong Manchester United fan, wants the rematch to be at Old Trafford.
Massive respect to @Tyson_Fury he’s a champ, a phenomenal comeback I’ve never shouted so much at a tv, be proud you’ve brought so much excitement to British boxing tonight congratulations your a winner in my eyes & the rest of the UK 🇬🇧
Draw my arse! pic.twitter.com/NJjufCYcEP
— Frank Bruno MBE (@frankbrunoboxer) December 2, 2018
Fury’s team feel they’ve done enough to warrant a home fight and speaking during the post-fight press conference, promoter Frank Warren said:
I thought Tyson won it and won it well, whatever the result of the fight. It was a fight that you’d want to see again, irrespective of whether it was a draw or whoever won the fight.
It’s one of those fights that you want to see again and we want to do it again but we want it in the UK. That’s where the next one should be.
From my perspective, I’d love to have a rematch and I’d like to see it in the UK. We could fill a football stadium up, maybe Wembley or Arsenal or any one of those big stadiums
Tyson came here to Los Angeles, he’s travelled to Germany to Wladimir Klitschko’s back yard. Now let’s let him have some home turf because on home turf, he would have won that fight.
What took this fool so long? Like we ain’t been interested?!! 🙄Anyway well done Fury! they wanted to get you because they assumed you was finished!! I’ll give you a fair one when your ready! Either one of you! https://t.co/RlytsIrnud
— Anthony Joshua (@anthonyfjoshua) December 4, 2018
Fellow heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has finally reacted to the draw, writing on Twitter:
What took this fool so long? Like we ain’t been interested?!! 🙄Anyway well done Fury! they wanted to get you because they assumed you was finished!! I’ll give you a fair one when your ready! Either one of you! [sic]
Well it looks like it could be a rematch at Old Trafford, or maybe something with AJ later next year after his fight with Whyte in April? Sounds good.
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Charlie Cocksedge is a journalist and sub-editor at UNILAD. He graduated from the University of Manchester with an MA in Creative Writing, where he learnt how to write in the third person, before getting his NCTJ. His work has also appeared in such places as The Guardian, PN Review and the bin.