'We would approve it' – Deontay Wilder has opportunity to become two-weight world champion if he can beat British boxer

06/30/2024 01:03 AM

WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman has said the sanctioning body would approve Deontay Wilder for a bridgerweight title shot.

The weight class, which sits between cruiserweight and heavyweight with a 224lbs limit, was established in 2020 and is recognised by the WBC and WBA.

Evgeny Tishchenko is the WBA title holder while Lawrence Okolie recently picked up the WBC’s version of the title by knocking out Lukasz Rozanski in May.

Okolie has been ordered to defend his green and gold strap against Kevin Lerena next but Sulaiman insists the winner of that fight could face Wilder if he submits a request to the WBC.

“I am sure that if Wilder wishes to fight vs the Bridgerweight champion the WBC would approve but we have not received anything from our dear Deontay camp,” wrote Sulaiman on X after a fan asked about the possibility.

Wilder held the WBC heavyweight title between 2015 and 2020 and could become a two-weight world champion by picking up the bridgerweight crown.

Many fans are hoping to see ‘The Bronze Bomber’ retire after his dismal displays against Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang in his last two outings, though he is yet to officially hang up his gloves.

Before his fifth-round knockout loss to Zhang earlier this month, former super-middleweight world champion George Groves recommended Wilder move down to bridgerweight to pursue a title.

“I think, now, this is his time to capitalise on being a world champion,” Groves told Sky Sports.

“There are going to be a lot of heavyweights out there with big names, who are not huge, who are going to be thinking ‘Am I ever going to win the heavyweight world championship in the near future?

“Maybe not, but I can be world champion if I take on Lawrence Okolie’.

“I think, maybe, Wilder is the sort of character who goes ‘I’m such a big name, I’m a former heavyweight world champion, I can’t see me just getting a shot at a heavyweight world title any time soon.

“‘But why not become a two-weight world champion by fighting at bridgerweight?'”

A fight with Okolie would be very easy to make with the Brit recently expressing an interest in boxing Wilder after his win over Rozanski

He told iFL TV: “When there is a belt on the line it is always better.”

“Obviously, he (Wilder) was WBC heavyweight champion, he will probably want to box for a WBC belt.”