Deontay Wilder retains WBC heavyweight crown with a devastating first round knockout victory over Dominic Breazeale

Deontay Wilder brutally stopped mandatory challenger Dominic Breazeale to keep himself on the collision course to face Anthony Joshua for the Undisputed Heavyweight Title of the World.

Wilder, 33, who was defending his WBC world title belt for the ninth time since winning it in 2015, was reluctant to touch gloves in the squared circle with his opponent following a long running feud between the pair. This was Dominic ‘Trouble’ Breazeale’s second world title bid, after failing in his one and only challenge to Anthony Joshua in 2016.

The ‘Bronze Bomber’ instantly set about his work with his freakish power on display moments after the opening bell. A straight right landed on the top of Breazeale’s temple, momentarily scrambling the challenger’s senses. This left Joshua’s former foe instantly backing up to the ropes with his legs all over the place. However, in boxing sometimes you are at your most dangerous when hurt; sensing blood, Wilder rushed to finish Breazeale and walked into a right-hand counter that stunned the champion.

Wild by name, wild by nature, the Alabama born WBC holder responded with big hooks of his own that failed to find the target. The two were now suddenly involved in a fire fight at the Barclays Centre in Brooklyn, with the next big shot certain to end the bout and finish the other off.

Seconds later in the first round, an emphatic straight one-two down the pipe from Wilder proved decisive; the explosive combination violently dropping Breazeale and leaving him flat on his back, immediately unconscious on the floor. For whatever reason, the referee began the count but soon realised the challenger was in no fit state to continue.

The brutality of the knockout once again reaffirmed Wilder as one of the biggest punchers in boxing with Breazeale being his 40th knockout victim in the 41 wins on his record.

Speaking in the ring afterwards, Deontay Wilder assessed his clinical performance and looked ahead to a potential Anthony Joshua fight:

“I know there’s been a big build-up to the fight. A lot of animosity, a lot of chaos, a lot of hatred against each other. It just came out tonight.

I know a lot wanna know when the Joshua fight happens. All of these fights are in discussion. It’s going to take my team, his team to sit down and get this fight done for the fans. This fight will happen but give us patience.

We need to get the most money possible, we are risking our lives.”

Before any fight can be discussed between the pair though, the Brit will need to handle business first against Andy Ruiz, who he faces at Madison Square Garden on June 1.

However, any hopes that the American will now face the unified champion Anthony Joshua later this year is unlikely as Wilder’s manager Shelly Finkel admitted they have ‘their plate full with other opponents’.