Wilder Rejects Idea Of Franchise Title
Deontay Wilder refuses to have his title taken from him by anyone, let alone WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman.
The current WBC world heavyweight champion has come out against being given the “Franchise” designation in the same vein Canelo Alvarez, who was given that distinction earlier this year to make way for current WBC world middleweight champion Jermall Charlo, and Vasyl Lomachenko being given the lightweight distinction.
“Many people ask me about the franchise belt. I don’t know much about it,” Wilder (41-0-1, 40KOs) noted during a media workout session prior to his November 23rd fight with Luis Ortiz. “What I’m hearing, it allows you to stay a champion, you don’t have to fight mandatories and stuff like that. If that’s the case, I’m not interested.
“I want the mandatories. Guys work their way up, work hard to get to number two, and then become a mandatory. Why would you crown someone that doesn’t have to have mandatories?”
This marks Wilder’s 10th defense of the title he won over Bermane Stiverne in January of 2015, going 8-0-1 in the process, including a fight of the year candidate against Ortiz in March of last year.
“I love having mandatories, him having to sit, having to wait,” Wilder says of the process. “He get frustrated and then when the fight comes, you have me waiting all this time already. There’s always that buildup to thee fight. When you take that away, you take certain things away from boxing, you take the charisma away, you take the excitement away from it.
“That’s what I don’t want to do. I don’t want to take the excitement away from anyone. I’m a dangerous fighter, I have a devastating right hand. That’s all I’ve been doing my whole career, giving fans what they want to see, giving them devastating knockouts.”
“Hopefully, nothing comes my way about a franchise belt,” notes Wilder. “I don’t have nothing against guys that have taken it. I’m just listening to the fans and listening to my heart. I don’t think being a Franchise champion would fit me.
“If they want to give someone else that belt over mem, then I’m fine with that.”
Report: Boxing Scene