By Stanley White: Watch out Floyd Mayweather Jr. because Deontay Wilder is looking to match your 50-0 record. WBC heavyweight champion Wilder 39-0, 38 KOs) said his week he’ll “easily” get to 50-0 once he unifies the heavyweight division.
(Photo credit: Esther Lin/SHOWTIME)
You can’t laugh off what the 32-year-old Wilder says, because he’s breezed through his first 39 fights without having any close calls. Wilder is only 11 wins away from tying Mayweather’s mark. Wilder might even break the record.
The only 2 heavyweights that stand in Wilder’s way right now of getting to 50 straight wins is Luis Ortiz (28-0, 24 KOs) and IBF/WBA heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua (20-0, 20 KOs). Those are good heavyweights, but they’re slower than Wilder and in the case of Ortiz, he’s considerably older. Joshua might lack the punch resistance to defeat Wilder. You’ve got to have a good chin to have a chance of beating Wilder, and Joshua does not look in that area.
Wilder has knocked out everyone he’s faced with the exception of Bermane Stiverne in their first fight in January 2015. Wilder later knocked Stiverne out in the 1st round in their rematch last November. That means that Wilder has knocked out every opponent he’s ever faced.
“Once I unify all the titles then line up the mandatories, I’ll easily get to 50-0,” Wilder said about himself. “I’m not a 12-round fighter, and I don’t get overtime. I’m a knockout artist. So that being said, I don’t take much damage, but I give all the damage. I put people in the hospitals. I put people in stretchers. When you fight me your head is not the same when you leave. When you fight me you’re really signing a death warrant!”
A lot of boxing fans doubt whether Wilder will be a champion much longer. They point out that Wilder has beaten 6 weaker heavyweights since he became the WBC champion. Wilder’s successful title defenses have come against these fighters:
• Bermane Stiverne
• Gerald Washington
• Chris Arreola
• Eric Molina
• Johann Duhaupas
• Artur Szpilka
Wilder hasn’t had to take much punishment during his 10-year pro since turning pro in 2008. Wilder won an Olympic bronze medal for the U.S in 2008. Wilder was outpointed by Clemente Russo of Italy by a 7-1 score. That was the last time Wilder lost a fight.
Wilder might be 2 or 3 fights away from taking on Joshua in a unification match. If Wilder gets past Ortiz, he’s going to need to wait on Joshua’s fight later next month against WBO champion Joseph Parker on March 31. If Joshua wins, we’ll see what his next move is. It could be he’ll look in Wilder’s direction or more likely he’ll choose to take a different path in facing Jarrell Miller, Dillian Whyte or Alexander Povetkin.
