Deontay Wilder poses for photographs after of a WBC heavyweight title boxing match Artur Szpilka, of Poland, Saturday, Jan. 16, 2016, in New York. Wilder stopped Szpilka in the ninth round. AP
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder is set to fight Chris Arreola at Legacy Arena in his home state on July 16.
Wilder’s co-manager Jay Deas confirmed the matchup on Friday.
The Tuscaloosa native is 36-0 with 35 knockouts and has fought in Birmingham twice before. Arreola is 36-4-1 with 31 knockouts.
Wilder was scheduled to fight mandatory challenger Russian Alexander Povetkin in Moscow on May 21. The WBC postponed the fight indefinitely after Povetkin tested positive for meldonium and later cleared Wilder to make a voluntary defense.
Wilder knocked out Artur Szpilka in the ninth round of his last fight in January at New York’s Barclay Center.
Birmingham’s City Council is scheduled to consider a $30,000 incentive package for the fight on Monday.