DEONTAY WILDER is ready to unleash his healed right hand upon the heavyweight division after recovering from injury. The WBC champion โย reportedly returning to action in his local Birmingham, Alabama against Polandโs
Andrzej Wawrzyk on February 25 โ has been watching the weight class closely after being injured during a one-sided July victory over Chris Arreola.
Wilderโs long term target remains unification, and he expects that process to start when he meets the winner of the April showdown between Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko.
โJoshua is at the top level, and my heart tells me he will beat Klitschko,โ Deontay Wilder told Boxing News. โI still believe that father time is at Klitschkoโs door but I think he still has a little bit left in him. It was an embarrassment that he got beat by Tyson Fury. Youโre looking at a champion who ruled the division for a decade and all of a sudden you get a loss. Just describing it in my situation, being undefeated, if I had a loss my heart would go to my stomach so I imagine if I was champion for a decade? It would be the lowest feeling of the low.
โI think the factย Klitschko sparred โAJโ before, and he wants redemption, we may see something. On the other hand, โAJโ is young, strong and just as tall and most of the time in those situations the young guy prevails. Sometimes when you get dethroned, itโs best to stay away. The young guy is fresh, heโs studied you, he knows every move that you have. So you may think that you still have it, but your body and mind is too slow. Itโs going to be an interesting fight. Overall, itโs good for the division, Iโm glad this fight is happening, and make sure you all look forward to see me take on the winner.โ
Wilder has been WBC king for almost two years, dethroning and outclassing Bermane Stiverne in January 2015, but has received criticism for the selection of his challengers since his coronation. Before thrashing Arreola, 31-year-old Wilder halted Eric Molina, Johann Duhaupass, and Artur Szpilka โ three contenders largely unknown to the boxing public before they challenged the โBronze Bomberโ. And with Wawrzyk – originally rumoured as a Wilder opponent back in August –ย lined up for his fifth defence,ย Deontay could be set for a backlash again.
โI donโt believe โYouโre going to suck because I donโt know youโ, thatโs just the ignorance of your average boxing fan,โ Deontay Wilder responded. โSome of these fans feel like they got to have heard of the fighters or they got to be a known name โ but sometimes you donโt know anything about the best fighters. If you look back from now until way back in time, most of the foreign guys you knew about until they made a big splash. Nobody knew who Manny Pacquiao was until he made a name for himself. I wish fans would stop criticising fighters because it takes a lot to get in the ring.โ
โOverall the heavyweight division is looking good,โ Wilder reported about the divisionโs recent progress.
โI had Andy Ruiz beating Joseph Parker, you got Luis Ortiz, they all got the capability. You got David Haye, theyโre all great fighters. Suddenly everyone is looking nice, thatโs the status of the heavyweight division right now, and thatโs what keeps me training.
โPeople see me everywhere, but rest assured my mind has never left boxing, it never leaves the gym. Iโll be in my hotel room working on little things, working on my footwork.
โThe scene has gotten hot now, everyone is hungry, everyone wants what you have. So you have to stay hungry, and one thing about me is through all my accomplishments, Iโm still hungry because I havenโt finished my goal, and that is to be undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. I want to defend for a couple of years, and then after that, Iโm out of here. Iโll give it to the rest of the guys that I watch on the way up, and I will cheer for them.
โThereโs so many great guys in this division and I just thank God, that itโs finally alight.โ