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SPORTS Monday 20 May 2019

Wilder KOs Breazeale in 1st round to defend heavyweight belt

By BRIAN MAHONEY more than 223 pounds, a
AP Sports Writer gain from the 209 he was
NEW YORK (AP) — Deontay at for the Fury fight, but still
Wilder believes they are well below the 245 he set
coming, the mega match- as a goal after feeling he
up with Anthony Joshua was too small in that bout,
and the rematch with Ty- in which he dropped Fury
son Fury. with a huge combination
Until then, he moved onto in the 12th round but had
some business with Dominic to settle for the draw when
Breazeale. the challenger was able to
He took care of it quickly get up and finish the fight.
and emphatically. An immediate rematch
Wilder got back into the was expected before Fury
win column Saturday night, surprisingly went another
knocking out Breazeale route.
with an overpowering right "I understand what Tyson
hand in the first round to Fury did. When you get
defend his heavyweight dropped on the canvas
title. like that, I understand you
"There's been a lot of ani- have to get yourself back
mosity and a lot of words together," Wilder said. "But
that were said and it just the rematch will happen,
came out of me tonight," like all these other fights will
Wilder said. happen. The great thing is
Wilder hurt Breazeale with all these fights are in discus-
a right to the head early sion. The big fights will hap-
in their fight at Barclays pen."
Center, but the challenger And Wilder won't need any
had recovered from that more pounds as long as
early onslaught. But there he still has one of the most
was no coming back from feared right hands in box-
the right later in the round ing.
that immediately dropped Breazeale had down-
Breazeale, who was trying played Wilder's power, say-
to get up as referee Harvey ing heavyweights are sup-
Dock counted him out at posed to hit hard. But he
2:17 of the round. should certainly be a be-
"When I hit him with the liever now. Deontay Wilder, right, knocks down Dominic Breazeale during the first round of the WBC heavy-
right hand the first time, his He was challenging for a weight championship boxing match Saturday, May 18, 2019, in New York. Wilder stopped
body language changed," heavyweight title for the Breazeale in the first round.
Wilder said. second time, having been Associated Press
And with the last one, stopped by Joshua in the
Breazeale's body language seventh round three years fight just about everyone in in 2017. He went as far as of peace as he carried his
crumpled. ago in Britain. He said he boxing would prefer to see, to tout his ability to kill a young daughter into the
Wilder (41-0-1, 40 KOs) was had learned and grown but so far it's been all talk man in the ring, remarks for arena about three hours
coming off his draw against from that fight, but there's without seriously moving which WBC President Mau- earlier, but was back to
Fury in December, the first nothing that could have close to action. ricio Sulaiman said would making his case as boxing's
fight of his pro career that prepared him for what Joshua will be making his be addressed by the orga- baddest man once the
wasn't a victory. He want- faced in landing just two U.S. debut at nearby Madi- nization in a hearing. fighting started.
ed a rematch with Fury or a punches before 13,181 fans son Square Garden on Wilder was coming off In the other title fight on the
unification match with fel- in Brooklyn. June 1, so perhaps they tough tests in his last two card, Gary Russell Jr. (30-1,
low champion Joshua, but "This was a situation could try again afterward bouts, getting rocked by 18 KOs) defended his piece
settled for a mandatory de- where he landed the big to negotiate a bout. Luis Ortiz in their March 2018 of the featherweight title
fense of his WBC title when right hand before I did," Wilder easily put aside the fight in this arena before when the referee stopped
those couldn't be made. Breazeale said. "I thought letdown of not fighting stopping the Cuban in the his bout with Kiko Marti-
He ended it quickly, finish- I was going to come on Joshua or Fury again be- 10th round, and needing nez (39-9-2) late in the fifth
ing off Breazeale (20-2) af- in the later rounds. I'll be cause of his anger toward a knockdown in the final round on the advice of the
ter being pushed hard in back and go for the heavy- Breazeale over an alterca- round to secure the draw ringside doctor because of
each of his last two fights. weight title again." tion involving family mem- with Fury. a bad cut over the chal-
Wilder weighed in at a little Wilder and Joshua was the bers at an Alabama hotel He looked like a picture lenger's left eye.q