WBC title: Wilder sets for showdown with Joshua

Undefeated Deontay Wilder brutally knocked out Dominic Breazeale in
the first round of their grudge match Saturday night to retain his World
Boxing Council heavyweight world title.

Wilder versus Breazeale

He wasted no time in calling out Anthony Joshua for a match. He said
he is ready to wait. Joshua faces Andy Ruiz in New York on June 1.

Wilder, who has one of the most destructive right hands in
heavyweight history, floored the challenger with a one-punch knockout
with 43 seconds left in the opening round.

Wilder swarmed Breazeale from the opening bell, hurting him with a
straight right hand then finishing him off later in the round with the
devastating right to the chin that was set up by a left jab.

Breazeale lay on his back, then got up at the count of 10 as the referee waved it off.

Wilder, 33, improved to 41-0-1 with 40 KOs in making the ninth
defence of his title against heavy underdog Breazeale at the Barclays
Center arena in Brooklyn, New York.

Breazeale, who had lost just one previous fight to Anthony Joshua, dropped to 20-2 with 18 KOs.

There was bad blood between the two heading into the fight with the
buildup marked by a series of macabre threats from Wilder, who had
spoken of his willingness to cause a fatality in the ring.

Threats of violence are a stock-in-trade part of promoting fights,
but Wilder’s gruesome pre-fight comments were condemned by many in the
sport as going too far.

Wilder said: “Everything came out of me tonight. I know it’s been a
big build up a lot of animosity and hatred; a lot of words were said and
it came out tonight.

“This is what makes boxing so great. I told him I love him and of course I wanted him to go home to his family.

“When you settle your differences with the gloves on that’s what the sport is about.

“I understand what Fury did [in pulling out of their rematch]; when
you get dropped on the canvas like that and I don’t know how you get up,
I understand you don’t want it again but that fight will happen.

“And the Joshua fight will happen, all these fights are in
discussion, no doors are closed, all parties involved are in
discussions.

“There are too many opinions at the moment, it’s going to take our
teams and me and him to sit down and make this fight happen for the
fans.

“I want the fans to have patience and give us some time to make this
fight happen. We risk our lives so we want to get as much money as
possible.

“Good things come to those who wait.”