Deontay Wilder vs Tyson Fury 2: Rematch date signed but no Luis Ortiz date

You wait ages for an intriguing Deontay Wilder rematch then two come along at once except, unfortunately only the second of the pair appears to have been signed and dated. The WBC heavyweight champion boasts a dance card clear both in its partners and order of priority - first Cuban Luis Ortiz, who rocked Wilder back in March 2018 before getting stopped in 10, then Brit Tyson Fury, who rose heroically from the canvas for a second time to claim a draw with Wilder that probably should have been a victory, in December.

Fury recently revealed that, despite planning his own interim battle for the autumn, the Wilder rematch has now been signed and has a date attached: February 22, as the "Gypsy King" stated at a live event captured on social media.

However, there has yet to he a confirmed date announced for Wilder vs Ortiz 2, despite strong rumours of a September show. The rare structure offered by Wilder during the Anthony Joshua vs Andy Ruiz Jr fight week last month, timed for the huge amount of publicity it inevitably attracted, has now been tarnished by the subsequent dithering.

Let’s get the autumn fights for Fury and Wilder set in stone then we can look forward both to them and, if each man comes through, the really big one, in February 2020.