WBC heavyweight ruler Deontay Wilder has a number of goals he wants to achieve: he wants to be the undisputed heavyweight king – “one champion, one face, one name” – and he wants to retire unbeaten. Not only that, but Wilder has a certain number in mind. In fact Wilder has two sets of numbers in mind.
Speaking ahead of this Saturday night’s dangerous rematch with Cuban southpaw Luis Ortiz, Wilder said he aims to retire in six years, and his perfect pro record at that time would be 52-0-1. Right now, Wilder is aged 34 and his record stands at an impressive 41-0-1 with 40 KO’s. So can Wilder avoid defeat over a further 11 fights and get to 52-0-1? Wilder says he’d like to have 51 KO’s by this time.
“I think I can. I’m halfway there,” Wilder said in response to being asked if he can beat the 50-0 record belonging to Floyd Mayweather. “With the way I’m fighting and with the things I’ve got planned for my career, I’ll definitely get there. 52-0 with 51 knockouts, that would be a sick record to have.”
But can Wilder do it? If he comes through okay against Ortiz, Wilder would then have to fight twice a year until November of 2024, picking up an additional ten wins. It’s possible, sure, but it would take one heck of a run from “The Bronze Bomber.” After Ortiz, Wilder will (we think, we hope) get his return fight with Tyson Fury, and then, assuming he won that sequel, Wilder would need nine more wins, or nine more title defences to achieve his ideal record. If he pulled it off, Wilder would be 19-0-1 in WBC title defences!
It’s great that Wilder has this kind of confidence, self belief, but is he setting himself too high a goal, or goals? Still, as Ortiz himself has said, until someone beats Wilder he has to be looked at as “the top dog” of the heavyweight division. And despite his flaws, ones too many “armchair experts” are overly eager to scoff at, Wilder has so far managed to not only defeat every man he has faced, but also deck every single opponent he has fought. He sure is doing plenty of things right in the ring.
And one thing Wilder says that we can all agree on is this: “you’ll miss me when I’m gone.” As the most exciting heavyweight in the world bar none as Wilder is, he’s spot on.
