Deontay Wilder: “If Klitschko wants the belt, he’s gonna have to go through me to unify it.”

(transcribed by Michael Readman) Heavyweight Deontay “Bronze Bomber” Wilder is as close as he has ever been to his shot a world title belt. In a professional career that began in 2008, Wilder has accumulated a record of 31 wins without a loss, and all wins coming by way of stoppage, and is now the #1 ranked contender according to the WBC. While many people still question Wilder’s position and opposition, there is no doubt that he has captivated boxing fans with his thrilling seek and destroy style.

In Part 1 of my “On The Ropes” boxing radio interview with Deontay Wilder, I talk to him about his position in the heavyweight division and the road that has taken him to this spot. I also get Wilder’s views on the recent title win by Bermane Stiverne, and the performance of both fighters. Additionally Deontay speaks on some of the criticism that he receives from people at all levels of the sport. Here is what Deontay Wilder had to say.

Jenna J: Deontay, you are now the number one ranked heavyweight contender, you are waiting for Bermane Stiverne. How do you feel about where you are right now?

Deontay Wilder: I feel great, I feel like it’s been a long time coming. It’s definitely been a long journey for me but it’s an exciting one at the same time. Even though it seems that we took the long route, now that I’m here it feels like everything is happening so fast. It’s exciting times for me and I’m enjoying every moment of it, being the number one contender; all the publicity, just everything that comes with it, you know.

The heavyweight division is definitely back and it’s definitely gonna start, come that time when me and Bermane fight. Like I told him before, he’s keeping the belt warm for me, he’s just a temporary champ until the real champ comes along and that’s Deontay Wilder that will revive the heavyweight division back to where it once was and unify all the belts and bring it back. It starts with me and that’s when the heavyweight division will be back to where it once was, so I’m excited.

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Jenna J: Speaking of Bermane Stiverne, what did you think of his last performance against Chris Arreola?

Deontay Wilder: I think it was the same performance as the first time, you know. I think that the guy just had Chris’ number this time because they already fought. It’s like sparring — if I spar you once then the second time I’m gonna have a little bit more knowledge of what you’re capable of doing and I’m gonna execute your weakness and that’s what he did.

It was the same fight but he had no fear for Chris. Chris gave him all he had in the first one, it boosted up his confidence, and the second time around he just wanted it more. It was more on the line as far as becoming the world champion and he wanted it more and he did what he had to do.

I’ve stated many times that I’m very happy for him and I’m excited for him for being the same Haitian to be a heavyweight champion, that’s history for him and his country so I know that they were excited about that as well as I. Now there comes a time where reality hits, now you have to put that belt up and defend it. Unfortunately he’s got me on the line, one of the most dangerous heavyweights in the business and it’s Deontay Wilder that knocks out everything.

It’s kind of a bitter sweet moment. The sweet moment is that he’s got the belt, he’s the champ. The bitter moment is now he’s gotta face a dangerous opponent, somebody that’s definitely not a Chris Arreola, somebody that’s better, somebody that’s faster, somebody that’s stronger, somebody that’s hitting harder, that’s more athletic than a sloppy Arreola.

It’s gonna be great man, I can’t wait, I’m super excited. Every day I’m thinking about it, every day I’m great mentally, physically, emotionally. I’m just ready for it all, I think I was born to do this.

Jenna J: Don King has talked about the possibly of a fight Wladimir Klitschko for Stiverne. Is there any amount of money you would take to allow a fight for the undisputed belt?

Deontay Wilder: Well, I’m know Don wants to get the most money he can behind Stiverne now that he’s on top, he’s got a champion and Don even stated he wants to take him across the country to defend it with other guys and stuff like that.

The thing is, Don knows what lies at hand. Don knows that his boy has got a beast on his hands no matter what people may say about me or who I’ve fought or what the questions are, can I take a punch or can I go twelve rounds? (laughs)

No matter what they may say, they know that I’m a force to be reckoned with. They know that I’m a dangerous fighter on any given night or any given round, whether its the first or the last round because I’ve got a zest. It’s something that can’t be taught, something that can’t be sat down and put into a person, they have to be born with it, and that’s that almighty power.

As far as stepping aside — like I stated before — we can start out, let me advertise this as ten million, lets start out with that right there. If they really want me to step aside, because they’re gonna make that money trying to fight a Klitschko — Klitschko wants it bad but I feel like that’s easy picking for him.

When I think about things, it’s not all about money for me. I want my name on that belt as well too. I want that glory, I want to say I was the WBC champ and all the heavyweights have had their name on it. All the heavyweights that were somebody had that belt and I wanna say one day that my name is on there too. That is something that no matter what, win, lose or draw, nobody can ever take that away from you.

There is a side of me saying, “nah don’t step aside.” I want that belt too bad and I don’t want Klitschko coming here and unifying all the belts that easy. He’s trying so hard to get that because he knows that it’s an easy, easy fight for him, but that’s too easy. That’s way too easy and I don’t think there is no money in the world I can take to just step aside and just let him come in and let him unify all the belts that easily. I don’t think so.

I think I’m fighting for that, there’s no going through me. It’s a final, Deontay Wilder will be fighting for that belt. A date, we don’t know yet, it’s coming soon, still working on it. If Klitschko wants the belt, he’s gonna have to go through me to unify it. I think people wanna see more of a Deontay Wilder vs. Klitschko than a Stiverne vs. Klitschko.

Jenna J: Deontay, recently Mike Tyson was quoted in the press as saying that he wants to see you get hit, and that will tell people if you are going to be the next guy in the division. What do you say to the people that won’t believe in your ability, unless they see you can take a big punch?

Deontay Wilder: I just tell them, “look this is the heavyweight division, I ain’t trying to get hit by nobody.” The object of boxing is to hit and not be hit, I abide by that rule now. When I do get hit, we’ll see what happens. Can I go on an let a man hit me with ten ounce gloves on just to prove that I can take a punch? As long as I know what I can do, that’s all that matters. If no one ever sees it throughout this era of my coming to reign and being the heavyweight champion to never go past four rounds then who’s winning? I am.

Boxing is a short term goal for me. I’m definitely not one of those type of guys that wanna leave the sport slurring or don’t know how to count from one to ten or backwards. People don’t know what to say about me because each and every time I leave the ring, I leave a question mark behind me.

They know I’m talented, I’m athletic, they know I have the skills to become a champion but the thing is, the only thing they want to come up with, it’s because they don’t really have nothing to say about me but when they try to discredit me it’s, “Oh, he can’t go four rounds” because they’ve never seen it or, “He can’t take a punch” because they’ve never seen it.

You can’t just assume, people like to assume so they can have some kind of comfort in their own mind about a person, but I feel when I answer all of those questions — because I’m sure there is gonna be somebody that I take a good punch from, you know. When that does happen and I scratch that off the list and I go past four rounds, even if I go six rounds it will be, “Oh can he go past six?” If I did the whole twelve then, “Can he do thirteen?”

There’s always gonna be something but I don’t let that bother me, criticism doesn’t bother me at all, it really doesn’t, it goes in one ear and out the other. Most times I don’t even look for nothing about what people are talking about, most time people bring it to my attention. I’m so focused on what I’m doing.

I don’t care whether it’s Mike Tyson or the next door neighbor, I don’t care what people say. Hey, we just have to see what happens when that time comes, that’s all I can tell them. We’ll just have to see because I don’t think you have to take beatings to prove that you’re anything, you don’t have to take a beating to show that you’re gonna be great or whatever.

If I don’t get hit, that means, damn nobody could hit me. If I didn’t go past four, they’ll be like, “Damn he must be that good, nobody can go past the fourth,” that sounds better to me than getting hit and going through all twelve rounds, because the average fan don’t want to sit there for twelve rounds anyway, especially in the heavyweight division. They come to see a knockout and that’s what I do, I deliver the knockout.

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