Deontay Wilder vs. Tyson Fury Rematch Announced for Early 2020

WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder and former titleholder Tyson Fury will meet again in 2020, renewing their rivalry after their first bout ended in a controversial split-decision draw.

Wilder announced the rematch on his Twitter page (warning: contains profanity):

According to boxing insider Mike Coppinger, the rematch will happen in early 2020.

The two battled it out for Wilder's strap in Los Angeles on November 1, with all three judges arriving at a different conclusion:

Many fans and pundits were outraged at the result and especially the 115-111 card in favour of the champion. Fury appeared in control for most of the night but was knocked down twice, including in the final round.

The Gipsy King's promoter Frank Warren was so upset at the decision he reached out to the WBC, per Sky Sports:

Both fighters expressed interest in a rematch after the bout:

Similar to the rematch between Gennady Golovkin and Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, a redo makes sense here. With the exception of WBA, WBO and IBF champion Anthony Joshua, there's no opponent with a higher profile available for either man, and AJ is likely to hold out until he can fight the WBC champion, whoever that may be.

The Bronze Bomber came into their first bout with a low profile in the British heavyweight market, which has become one of the most profitable due to the rise of Joshua, Fury and Dillian Whyte. Everyone in Britain knows him after the controversial draw, however, making the rematch a lucrative one.

Both men will have reasons to be optimistic about the rematch. Fury―who had only fought low-level opponents since returning to the ring―was able to out-box Wilder for large stretches, and with proper adjustments and more favourable judging, he'll have a great chance of coming out on top.

Lennox Lewis believes he'll be even better:

Wilder started too slow but was able to score two knockdowns―he'll go into the rematch knowing Fury can't take his power if he lands, and he'll likely be more aggressive early.

While the first fight may have ended in controversy, it sets up what should be one of the most anticipated rematches in recent history. GGG and Canelo delivered another close one in their second bout, and judging by their first meeting, these two should follow suit.