Deontay Wilder: “My main goal is to destroy you, to hurt you really bad and get on with my life”

WBC heavyweight champion, Deontay Wilder, is set to make his fifth defense of his title on February 25th when he faces undefeated contender Gerald Washington. The fight will mark Wilder’s first since a July hand injury that has kept him out of the ring for the rest of 2016. Wilder hopes this defense will be the start of something bigger, as he has set out to start unifying the division this year.

In part 2 of my “On The Ropes” boxing radio interview with Deontay Wilder, I discuss with him who he would like face next if he wins his defense this month. Wilder also talks about a possible fight between himself and Anthony Joshua and gives his views on how that fight would play out. Additionally, Deontay shares his thoughts on a potential Canelo-Golovkin fight and gives his prediction for February 25th. Here is what Deontay Wilder had to say.

Jenna J: If you could pick one guy in the heavyweight division to fight, who would it be?

Deontay Wilder: I want whoever has the titles. My mission is to unify and that’s what I’m solely stuck on. I don’t care who he is or where he’s from, I want the belts, I want the titles. If you have a title, that’s who I want. If you’re new to having the title, I want you. If you can have the title for a time and you’ve defended it, I want you, that’s just the bottom line.

I know there’s a lot of other fighters out there that are up and coming, but if they cross my paths during my time of trying to get these belts, then so be it. My main goal is to unify the division. With that being said, I need to fight guys who have the titles to fulfill my goals and dreams. That’s what I’m seeking.

Jenna J: If Anthony Joshua beats Wladimir Klitschko we could see an undefeated UK champion vs. the undefeated American champion, what would happen if you had a chance to fight Joshua?

Deontay Wilder: I would get Joshua out of there. I’m confident in every fight that I fight. Everybody knows that I’m the monster in the division to reckon with. They know that when I speak, they’re going to respect me because I don’t play around at all. I may make funny comments, I may do silly things being that it’s my personality, but when it’s time to fight, it’s all jokes aside with me, there’s no playing around.

I’m not in the ring to make any friends, to have mercy on you, or to have any sympathy. My main goal is to destroy you, to hurt you really bad and get on with my life. That’s what I do, so I’m just ready to get back in the mix of things and ready to fulfill my goal and my promise that I said I was going to do. My goal is to unify the division and become the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.

Jenna J: The one fight that people really want to see outside of the heavyweight division is Canelo Alvarez vs. Gennady Golovkin. If that fight does happen, who would you be favoring?

Deontay Wilder: I like ‘GGG’ in that fight, I just like how he’s calm and he likes to have fun. He understands that this is a dangerous sport but why not have fun doing it? We chose to do this, we chose to take these punches and it’s all about having fun sometimes while being serious. You have to know how to mix the two. When you can mix the two, you become a great fighter.

I really like Golovkin in that fight and I think Lara beat Canelo already but they didn’t give it to him. They said that Lara ran but basically what he did was, he did what it took to win the fight. I think he fought a great fight against Canelo that fight and I think Canelo took an ‘L’ that fight. With ‘GGG’ you have a more aggressive guy who will bang in there with you, he’s not scared to throw any punches. I think Golovkin would be the tougher fighter in there and if I had to choose, I would go with him.

Jenna J: What your prediction for your upcoming fight? How do you see it playing out from start to finish?

Deontay Wilder: My goal is to go in there and knock him out. That’s always my goal, so that’s what I’m going to go in there and try to do. Of course, I like to have fun, I’m one of those champions that can whoop you in the ring and also have fun whooping you. That’s what I like.

Boxing is such a serious sport that you have to be entertaining in the ring to do this. This is no joke, this is real reality when you step in the ring. I’m just looking to put on a great performance, a comeback show. I want to make a statement in this fight to say that I’m back. I want to let them know that I am back, I’m better, I’m on a mission to seek and destroy and to claim what is mine. We’re going to go for the knockout but I’m just going to let my hands go and have fun.