Saturday night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder (40-0, 39 KOs) retained his WBC Heavyweight title for the seventh time.
Wilder knocked out Luis “King Kong” Ortiz in the tenth round before 14,069 people. In the beginning rounds, the fight lacked action but by the middle rounds the question on everyone’s minds had to have been, not if, but when there would be a knockout.
In the seventh round, Ortiz nearly knocked out Wilder in a very one-sided round. Somehow Wilder was able to survive and regain his momentum with an impressive knockout of his own.
“King Kong’ ain’t got nothing on me, a true champion always finds a way to come back, and that’s what I did tonight,”said Wilder in his post-fight interview after yet another superb knockout. “Luis Ortiz is definitely a crafty guy. He put up a great fight. We knew we had to wear him down. I showed everyone I can take a punch. When he leaves tonight, Ortiz can hold his head high. He gave the fans a hell of a fight.”
In asking what’s next for The Bronze Bomber, only one name comes to mind–boxing fans want to see Deontay Wilder vs. Anthony Joshua. After passing yet another test against heavy opposition in Ortiz, Wilder has set himself up for a potential undisputed title fight with the winner of the four-belt clash between Anthony Joshua and Joseph Parker on March 31, in Cardiff, Wales.
Photo by Brant Wilson/RBRBoxing
At the post-fight press conference, Wilder proudly explained, “There is no man that has stood in front of me that I haven’t knocked out and I’m gonna continue my knockout spree.” Minutes later, the inevitable question was asked: Do you want to call out Anthony Joshua?”
A fight against Anthony Joshua (20-0, 20 KOs), the rising star from the United Kingdom is certainly the biggest and most desired fight in the division. Both Wilder and Joshua are undefeated titleholders, both hold Olympic medals and both are enormous power punchers.
Wilder made his feelings clear in his response to the infamous question.
“How many times do I got to call him out? How many times? They hiding, his promoter [Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing] don’t want that fight and after tonight they definitely won’t want it. I’ve done enough, I’ve spoken enough. I really don’t want to talk about the dude no more because I’ve said all I have to say. After tonight I don’t need to say no more. All I want to do is prove to the world that I am the best. I’m the baddest man on the planet and, hey, whenever they ready I’ll be ready. Talkin’ about calling him, how many times I got to call him? All you got to do is pick up the phone.”
After March 31, Joshua will likely hold four belts in the Heavyweight division–the IBF, IBO, WBA and WBO. Boxing fans want the unification bout between Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua. While Joshua needs to focus on the task at hand, Joseph Parker (24-0, 18 KOs), Wilder does not seem to be making any objections to the bout happening following the Joshua’s fight with Parker.
This fight needs to happen–as of right now, this is one of the best matchups that could be made in boxing. Wilder vs. Joshua would make for an extremely exciting bout, almost inevitably ending in a knockout. Yet, honestly I can’t say who I think would come out victorious in this fight which is exactly what makes this fight so appealing.
Header photo by Jose Miranda
