Deontay Wilder aims to clean heavyweight division out! Also wants fights with Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz!
Former WBC Heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder (42-1-1, 41KOs) has not fought since losing his title to Tyson Fury (30-0-1, 21KOs) in February of 2020. However, he is now gearing up for a return to the ring sometime in 2021. Wilder has been a hot topic lately due to his back-and-forth with former longtime co-trainer Mark Breland, whom he accused of spiking his water that February 22, 2020 night against Fury.
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The Alabama native did an Instagram interview with Marcus Watson. When asked who he wanted to fight next, Wilder gave a politically correct, nondescript answer. Obviously, that statement left people to interpret which fighters he was alluding to.
Thanks to Marcus Watson reading a comment from a fan watching the live interview, the identity of the fighters were revealed to be unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua and former unified heavyweight champ Andy Ruiz.
“Without naming the obvious, you know what I mean. People obviously know, but I would love to fight guys I haven’t fought. Any of the ones at the top that I haven’t fought, haven’t got my hands on, that’s what I want. You know what I’m saying. I know that’s kind of lame a little bit to not name a name, but anyone I haven’t faced at the top, I’m talking about you.”
When Joshua and Ruiz’s names came up, Wilder said they met the criteria.
“I’m saying any fighter at the top that people haven’t seen me fight and people strongly want to see me fight, that’s who I want to fight. Because I can sit here and name names all day you feel me. That’s the easy part, but I’m just going to go to the top. When you go to the top, and it’s some that I ain’t fought, that’s who I want to fight. I want to clean the division out, period.”
Obviously, he has a history with Joshua after numerous failed negotiations. At one point, that was the only fight to be made in the heavyweight division. However, now belt-less, Wilder is at the mercy of the champions. With negotiations nearing completion for Joshua to take on Fury in a undisputed heavyweight clash, Wilder will have to wait until at least 2022 for a possible clash with Joshua. That is unless negotiations with Fury crumble.
As for Ruiz, he is a bit of a one-hit wonder after pulling off a major upset in June of 2019 by knocking Joshua down three times before stopping him in seven rounds. That win earned him three of the four belts in the heavyweight division. However, nearly six months later, he would lose in a rematch by getting thoroughly out-boxed. A fight with Ruiz is much more attainable due to both men being aligned with Al Haymon and PBC.
Regardless of who Wilder fights next, fans are eager to see what he has left in the tank as well as how he is mentally after that humiliating one-sided beat down at the hands of Fury.
By: Jerrell Fletcher
