Deontay Wilder has been ordered to defend his WBC heavyweight title against Bermane Stiverne in his next fight.
On Saturday night, Wilder made the fifth defence of his belt when he stopped Gerald Washington in five rounds, and he had hoped to move onto a unification clash with WBO champion Joseph Parker.
However, less than 24 hours after his triumph, WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman announced on social media that Wilder must face Stiverne, which will be a rematch of their bout from January 2015 when Wilder claimed a points win in Las Vegas.
@WBCBoxing officially confirms @BermaneStiverne as mandatory contender for @BronzeBomber , free negotiations begin tomorrow for this rematch pic.twitter.com/kOm80LZF48
— Mauricio Sulaiman (@wbcmoro) 27 February 2017
Stiverne had been scheduled to face Alexander Povetkin at the end of 2016, but the Russian failed a drugs test in the days leading up to the bout.
The 38-year-old has fought just once - in November 2015 - since losing to Wilder.
Darren Plant
