Deontay Wilder vs. Dominic Breazeale: Live stream and fight preview

Deontay Wilder attempts to defend his WBC heavyweight title for the ninth time against Dominic Breazeale. Here’s how to watch this grudge match.

The world wants to see WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder (40-0-1, 39 KOs) fight IBF, IBO, WBA and WBO champion Anthony Joshua to fully unify the heavyweight division. Unfortunately, that fight didn’t get made, so both men are stuck with plan B.

Wilder tries to stay active on Saturday, May 18 when he fights title contender Dominic Breazeale (20-1, 18 KOs). Wilder vs. Breazeale is the main event of Showtime’s night of boxing. Initially, this fight didn’t spark much interest, but Wilder’s recent comments during a media event have added intrigue.

After a May 14 media workout, Wilder told a group of reporters, “This is the only sport where you can kill a man and get paid for it at the same time. It’s legal. So why not use my right to do so?”

Wilder’s words have drawn sharp condemnations from fellow boxers, pundits, and WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman. Despite the shock value of Wilder’s statement, his words aren’t surprising. He has made similar statements in the past that also drew criticism. His words are scary, but they served their purpose in hyping up a fight that not many wanted to see.

According to the Sportsbook Review, Breazeale is hovering at 6-1 odds. Wilder’s penchant for knocking people out has him slated as the overwhelming favorite, but Breazeale is undervalued as a boxer.

Breazeale only has one loss on his record where he was stopped in 2016 by Joshua. He didn’t offer Joshua much of a fight, but that was three years ago. Since then, Breazeale has won three contests in a row all by knockout.

Wilder and Breazeale have a history of bad blood. They got into an altercation in 2017 after the two fought on the same card in Birmingham, AL. Breazeale referenced their previous melee during a press conference on May 16.

“Every man sitting in this room, your wife and your kids were involved in that situation, where they can think about, and it brings it up every time this man’s ugly face passes by or comes up on a social media event, oh, you better believe he’s gonna pay for every single moment of that lobby night – and then some,” said Breazeale.

What goes unnoticed about Breazeale is his knockout power. Everyone knows that Wilder has some of the hardest fists in boxing, but Breazeale’s KO rating is an impressive 86 percent. His list of opponents aren’t all that great, but he’s experienced and reliable. He presents a legitimate threat to Wilder.

Breazeale is 6-foot-7 and powerful, but his body isn’t chiseled like Wilder’s or Joshua’s. He’s a sleeper in terms of being a contender. Breazeale only needs one punch to pull an upset over Wilder, but it’s unlikely that he will get it. Breazeale lacks hand speed and grace when moving around the ring.

Regardless of what the oddsmakers say, Wilder vs. Breazeale has been marketed well throughout the week and is percolating in terms of interest. Showtime’s television broadcast begins at 9 p.m. ET. If you have Showtime, you can stream the fight through your mobile device using the Showtime Anytime app.

• Fight Date: Saturday, May 18
• Start Time: 9 p.m. ET
• Location: Brooklyn, NY (Barclays Center)
• TV and Live Stream: Showtime and Showtime Anytime App

You can also catch undercard action live on Showtime’s social media platforms, including Facebook and Youtube. Undercard coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. ET. Notable names include WBC featherweight champion Gary Russell Jr. and his younger brother and rising prospect Gary Antuanne Russell.