Deontay Wilder has confirmed that he’s up for reigniting his rivalry with Tyson Fury for a third time by sending a strong – and quite difficult to watch – video message to his fans telling them ‘the war has just begun’.
Wilder was stopped by the British boxer last Saturday and lost his WBC belt in the process. He’s got a rematch clause in his contract that he can activate, though, and it seems as if ‘The Bronze Bomber’ is game for the three-peat.
The recent defeat against ‘The Gypsy King’ was Wilder’s first loss of a 44-fight career. He’s obviously hurting, and more than a little emotional.
In the video clip, he said: “‘Hello my people, my Bomb Squad army, my Bomb Squad nation, to all my loved ones around the world, I just want to let you know I am here.
“Your king is here. And we ain’t going nowhere, for the war has just begun. I will rise again. I am strong. I am a king, you can’t take my pride.
“I am a warrior. I am a king that will never give up. I’m a king that will fight to the death.
“And if anyone don’t understand that, don’t understand what it is to go to war, don’t understand what it is to fight, we will rise again.
“We will regain the title.
“I will be back. We will hold our heads up high. Your king is in great spirit.
“We will rise like a phoenix from the ashes and regain the title. I’ll see you in a few months, for the war has just begun. All my love to all my people.”
There you have it then.
But does Fury want to make the trilogy? After all, Wilder has had two fights to beat him, both in the USA, and failed.
Well, he might not have a choice, and promoter Bob Arum has already said that he reckons the fight should be in Las Vegas in July.
However, Eddie Hearn reckons that there’s more value in the pay-per-view numbers that could be achieved if Fury skips Wilder and arranges a super-fight against fellow Briton and holder of the other belts, Anthony Joshua.
Hearn tweeted: “No need for a third let’s go straight to it in the Summer! #undisputed.”
A fight for the right to call themselves the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world would surely appeal to all parties more than a potential banana skin against Wilder?
As ever in boxing, nothing is certain. We’ll just have to see what we’re given.
