Deontay Wilder will make Anthony Joshua wait for a heavyweight unification bout after announcing a rematch with Luis Ortiz.
Reigning IBF, WBA (Super) and WBO champion Joshua defends his belts against Andy Ruiz Jr at Madison Square Garden on Saturday but wants a meeting with WBC champion Wilder later this year to unify the division.
Talks between the Joshua and Wilder camps have repeatedly fallen by the wayside over the last 18 months with Wilder now announcing he has other plans.
“To all my fans, I want to announce that Luis Ortiz and I have signed for a rematch, with the date and site to be announced shortly," he wrote on Twitter.
"All my controversial fights must get dealt with ASAP.”
Wilder and Ortiz fought in March 2018 with the defending champion securing a 10th round stoppage win.
The Cuban veteran provided Wilder with perhaps the toughest challenge of his career, however, almost stopping the Bronze Bomber in the seventh round.
Wilder impressively survived and stormed back to defend his title for the seventh time.
Joshua vs Wilder, already complicated by the fact both men are signed to rival US broadcasters, is surely now on hold until 2020 at the very earliest.
