Deontay Wilder puts his WBC title on the line once again in a few hours time with Dominic Breazeale attempting to dethrone the undefeated American and shock the heavyweight scene.
Boxing fans enjoying a renaissance in the heavyweight division were expecting a rematch between Wilder and Tyson Fury to dominate the agenda in 2019 following their enthralling split decision draw in Las Vegas last December.
Fury’s decision to sign a deal with ESPN worth a reported £80million however means he, Wilder and reigning IBF, WBA (Super) and WBO champion Anthony Joshua are signed to three rival US broadcasters – an arrangement that creates huge complications for any future fight involving two of the division’s three leading names.
Wilder, Joshua and Fury now all fight in the same city in the space of a month with Wilder kicking off that run in New York tonight.
Breazeale, who challenged for Joshua’s IBF crown in 2016 when he was knocked out in the seventh round, became the mandatory challenger for Wilder’s title with a KO win over Carlos Negron in Brooklyn late last year.
Date, UK start time and venue
Wilder vs Breazeale takes place tonight at the Barclays Center in New York.
It is another early start for UK fight fans with ringwalks not expected until no earlier than 4am BST this morning.
TV channel and live stream
The fight will be shown live on Sky Sports' Action and Main Event channels, and is available via Now TV with a day pass on offer for £8.99.
Sky Sports subscribers can stream the match online via SkyGo and the SkyGo app.
You can also follow all the action with Standard Sport's LIVE blog.
Betting odds | Provided by Betfair | Subject to change (UK and Ireland only)
Fight odds
- Wilder to win: 1/7
- Breazeale to win: 11/2
- Draw: 22/1
Method of victory
- Wilder by decision/technical decision: 4/1
- Wilder to win by KO/TKO: 2/5
- Breazeale by decision/technical decision: 10/1
- Breazeale by KO/TKO: 9/1
Prediction
Of the heavyweight's division's Big Three, Wilder arguably faces the toughest challenge in the coming weeks in Breazeale compared to Andy Ruiz Jnr and Thomas Schwarz, who come against Joshua and Fury respectively.
Having said that, Wilder should be confident of registering victory no. 41. A win via a late stoppage for the defending champion.
Undercard
• Gary Russell Jr vs Kiko Martinez (WBC world featherweight title)
• Juan Heraldez vs Argenis Mendez (lightweight)
• Robert Alfonso vs Iago Kiladze (heavyweight)
• Gary Antonio Russell vs Saul Eduardo Hernandez (bantamweight)
• Gary Antuanne Russell vs Marcos Mojica (super lightweight)
• Kenny Robles vs Roy McGill (super lightweight)
• Dylan Price vs Manuel Salvador Manzo (super flyweight)
