Deontay Wilder Should Resist an Immediate Tyson Fury Rematch and Fight Andy Ruiz

UPDATE: Wilder is expected to trigger the rematch clause and run it back with Fury.

Tyson Fury is the toast of the boxing world after stunning Deontay Wilder in Saturday night's heavyweight battle of undefeateds, flipping the script and overpowering the man lionized as arguably the most fearsome puncher in the sport's long history. And while sights are now rightly set on booking the Gypsy King for a showdown with Anthony Joshua to decided the undisputed championship of the word, it's perhaps even more critical that Wilder books the right opponent in his quest to bounce back from the first defeat of his career.

And point blank, thought the desire for redemption with an immediate Fury rematch will be powerful, the Bronze Bomber needs to resist the urge. Instead, the fight to make is one involving another former champion who was humbled the last time he stepped in the ring: Andy Ruiz Jr.

Nothing would match the payout or rapturous fanfare around a Tyson-Deontay trilogy capper, and Saturday's fight contract gives Wilder four weeks to decide whether or not to trigger a rematch clause that would see the two run it back one last time later this year. Plain and simple, however, Wilder cannot allow a burning desire for revenge and redemption to send him into this trap. He got beat too badly. He was exposed. Hurt.

This isn't to say he should never gun for Fury again, but the man needs one or two fights to get back on his horse after such a shellacking. Enter Andy Ruiz, who stunned the boxing world and stole Anthony Joshua's titles in July, only to get swallowed whole in an immediate rematch come December.

Pairing Wilder with Ruiz makes sense for three main reasons:

1. Each is a former champion who got outclassed his last time out and needs a fresh start.

2. They're both promoted by Al Haymon's PBC, so stupid boxing politics can be avoided.

3. Matching them together frees up Fury to fight Joshua in the first undisputed heavyweight bout since 2000 and arguably the biggest British fight of all time.

Here and now, the heavyweight division has four fighters considered a cut above the rest, and two of them have all the belts. Having the two champs fight each other for ultimate glory while letting the two humbled former titlists square off in an intriguing bounce-back fight provides the best possible service to boxing fans.

Then -- and only then -- is it time to discuss completing a Wilder-Fury trilogy.