2015 was a big year for “The Bronze Bomber” Deontay Wilder, he became the WBC Heavyweight champion with an impressive unanimous decision over Bermane Stiverne. He followed that up with two successful defences against Eric Molina and Johann Duhaupas.
While the defences have had their critics, it can’t be denied that we have a heavyweight champion who is staying active. The first month of 2016 and Wilder will defend against Poland’s Artur Szpilka (20-1, 15 KOs) at the Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York, this Saturday.
6’7″ Wilder, 29, a professional since November, 2008, has emerged as America’s major hope to rule the division and now that the Klitschko reign seems to be over, the man from Alabama is in prime position. Kelvin Price, Audley Harrison, Siarhei Liakhovich and Malik Scott were all dispatched on the way up. Detractors claim that the WBC champion still hasn’t faced a real test and are waiting for the mouthwatering Wilder vs Povetkin clash, which surely has to happen next, as the Russian has been in a mandatory position for far too long. First, he has to get past Artur Szpilka.
On Saturday he will be making the third defence of his title, here is what he had to say at a recent media conference call:
Deontay Wilder
Good evening everyone. Happy New Year. We’re headed into a new year. It’s going to be a hell of a year this year for not only myself but a lot of other fighters as well. There are a lot of things going on in the heavyweight division. The division is definitely alive, and I’m looking to claim it all.
I wish all the heavyweights in the division good luck on their up and coming journeys. And I definitely wish my opponent good luck on becoming the first Polish champion. That is something that has been a hard task to complete for many Polish guys.
He’s not the first to come. It’s going to be difficult for him as well, but I wish him luck. He should be proud that he made it this far, and got this opportunity. So I’m looking forward to January 16, to conquering the world.
On the training camp
Camp has been wonderful. We’ve had a lot of wonderful guys that come in camp. I’ve always been in shape. That’s always been my motto, that I’m never out of shape. To not have fought a southpaw in three years, and to have a great camp like I’ve had, it’s been crazy.
It reminded me of why I enjoy and love fighting southpaws. I definitely had fun in this camp. I’m looking forward to the fight. I really am. This is my statement year, the start of the year. I’m looking forward to make a statement on Szpilka’s face.
Difference in this camp compared to previous ones
This camp has been one of the most fun camps for the simple fact that I haven’t been involved with a southpaw in like three years. To get my brain back in functioning how to defeat a southpaw, it has been fun. I can’t say challenging, because I had too much fun doing it.
I can’t wait to show you everything that I have to offer. Just as I developing my skill, I develop everything I’ve learned over the years, and apply them in the ring.
Like I said before, I keep saying that I want it to be embedded in you guys’ brains that 2016 belongs to Deontay Wilder, where he will unify the division. There hasn’t been one since 1999. That was Lennox Lewis. Now I must make history. I can’t let any man get in my way from that.
If any man feels that I’m just talk, like Szpilka says, he thinks I’m just talk. There’s never been anything I said that I haven’t done. But we’ve seen him, many times, talk. We’ve recently seen him say the same shit he’s talking about now. And what happened? He ended up becoming the loser.
Everything I’ve said I’ve backed up. That’s why I’m still the champ. That’s why I am a winner. And the thing about it, my 10,000 hours is coming up – of training is coming up (unintelligible). So now I’m coming up four complete fighters now. I understand my abilities and skills inside that ring, and those 10,000 hours is definitely approaching.
I’m looking forward to the world embracing me, and to continue being the heavyweight champ of the world, soon to be the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.
On fighting a southpaw
It’s different levels of what you look at as difficult. Southpaws arefun people to fight. You know, southpaws are people that pressure me. They are the ones I enjoy the most in sparring and actual fights and stuff like that.
There’s nothing, difficult about the southpaw, other than you’re switching sides with fighters. What you’re used to seeing is just backwards. That’s about it. Everything else is all about your feel, your determination, your IQ in the ring, and what you’re able to do with your ability.
I could put everything I got in the bank on my abilities and skill and will, and what I’m capable of doing in the ring. There’s no other heavyweight in the division like me, especially when it comes into the athletic department. I’m the most athletic heavyweight in the division.
There comes a point in time where it’s enough talking and it’s time to fight, which is what we’re doing now. We’re in the last few couple of words here, and a couple of more days. Then it’ll be time to fight. That way, every fighter has something to say about what they’re going to do.
There comes a time when you have to put forth the action, and actually see whether you’re really just talking to promote yourself, just to sell yourself, or to build your confidence, or build confidence around you, the people that you have inside, or are you the real deal. And I’m pretty sure that I can put every penny on it that I’m the real deal, and what I talk about, I put full action in.
What I’m saying I’m going to, I’ll do it. Everybody that knows me personally knows that if Deontay says he’s going to do something, it’s going to be done. So it’s exciting times, and I can’t wait. I really can’t. I’m in love with boxing. I’m in love with the sport. I love fighting. I love every bit of it and this is just a part of it.
This is the part I hate, just the waiting. And I’ll be so anxious to beat somebody up, just look at their face. This is the part that I hate — the waiting part. I’m ready for the fight. I’m ready to fight. Training is enough. I could have taken off that last little week of training, I didn’t need it.
I’m ready. I didn’t need the last week of training. I didn’t need the last week of strength training. I don’t need that. These guys could have went home. If I wasn’t paying my sparring partners, I would have sent them home.
But I don’t believe in giving out free money, so they had to stay and they had to spar — not to the point that they didn’t give me no work, because they gave me great work. It’s just to the point where I am super-ready. I’m just done, ready.
I’m looking forward to it, and I hope everybody is and everyone who is going to be attending this fight, who all’s going to be attending it or watching it on TV. They’re in for a treat. They’re in for a huge treat, just to start the year off.
I’m excited about the new year, that we get to start it off, make a statement. I want this fight to be already the fight of the year, and this is just the beginning of the year. So that’s what excitement I’m trying to bring to this fight. I’m trying to bring a severe knockout.
I want to get back to my knockout days. My hands were still out of all this time, last year my hand was about 85% when I defended my title. Now it’s, looking back, strong as ever. It’s back to 100%, and I’m looking to go back to where I used to be — four rounds or under.
On Wladimir Klitschko losing his belts
I was very disappointed that Klitschko didn’t show up and do the things that we expected of him and what he was capable of doing. It could be many reasons why that Klitschko didn’t show up, because that wasn’t him as a fighter. Klitschko as a person, his body was there, but as a fighter, something was missing. That isn’t what we’re used to seeing out of Wladimir Klitschko.
I think Father Time has knocked on his door, and he don’t want to let him in yet. But, I think it’s knocking at his door, and that fight proved it.
There’s talk of a rematch, and I’m going to see the second time around. So some people are still in daze of belief, because they can’t believe what they’ve seen.
Just like my career, many times, people make excuses for me. They say different things; even criticize me because they can’t understand why I’m able to do what I do, and how I do it when I do it. So, it’s the same thing as Klitschko. So we’re going to see the second time around, was this real?
Fighting at the Barclays Centre, Brooklyn
I’m very happy and honored to be able to be able to fight in Brooklyn. Barclays Center as well with so much rich heavyweight history throughout the state of New York. I’m so looking forward to finally putting my name down in history.
I definitely want to come in in the new year, and not only put history down, but in a great fashion; make a great statement to all the others that are in the division. This is a fine time for me. 2016 is going to be a starting time as well, so just making the whole division back and exciting again.
It’s definitely an exciting time and I’m just happy to be a part of it, and bringing that excitement truly back to the heavyweight division. I may be a country boy, but I don’t think the city’s ready for this boy right here.
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Dibella Entertainment promote the show. SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® January 16 of this new year at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The show will begin at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on SHOWTIME. It’s a world championship, heavyweight championship doubleheader. Deontay Wilder vs Artur Szpilka for the WBC Heavyweight title and Charles Martin vs Vyacheslav Glazkov for the vacant IBF Heavyweight title. In the UK it will be shown on Sky Sports 1 HD (03:00am Sun 17th).
