Deontay Wilder: “No matter what people say about Floyd Mayweather, they can’t take nothing he’s done away from him!

(Transcribed by Michael Readman) In part 2 of my “On The Ropes” interview with Deontay “Bronze Bomber” Wilder, I get his views on the sport of boxing, and its two biggest stars, Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao. Wilder shares his views on what he think Mayweather should do next and what he think of the legacy Floyd will leave behind and if he thinks a Mayweather-Pacquiao fight is likely to take place. Additionally, Deontay talks about the possibility of meeting up with Bermane Stiverne in the not too distant future, and how he sees that fight playing out. Here is what Deontay Wilder had to say.

Jenna J: Floyd Mayweather Jr. recently came back and fought Marcos Maidana in a tougher than expected fight. What do you see next for him out there?

Deontay Wilder: He pretty much wiped it out. There’s still a lot of competition at 147 and in the smaller divisions. Personally I would like to see the rematch, I was the first to say that. I would love to see the rematch because the fight was so exciting, it was so intense, it was so competitive. Maidana fought and made the fight a rematch fight.

I would love to see that fight again and I’m sure a lot of other people would love to see the same thing as well. Besides Maidana, you know, everybody says the Pacquiao thing, but that may never happen, so people can probably let that go.

Lets put him with maybe a Danny Garcia or Shawn Porter, you’ve got all those guys out there too that can maybe give Floyd competition. You’ve got that Russian guy Provodnikov, you’ve still got a lot out there.

Jenna J: As a boxing fan, do you still have interest seeing him fight Pacquiao?

Deontay Wilder: I’m not really too much on the Pacquiao thing no more. I’m one of those people that if it happens it will be great, if it don’t then it won’t bother me. But that would be a good fight to see just to say, “Hey I’m retiring, this is it, I’m gonna give you all my last finale of me versus whoever you wanna see,” and then of course everybody will be like “Oh Pacquiao, go out with a bang on the Pacquiao.” I don’t know, we’ll see.

I’m super happy for him though, he built his legacy and he’s going out on top and of course no matter what people may say — as a boxers stand point of view — everybody wants to leave the game on top, that’s always the goal — to leave the game as a champion and on top, and Floyd has got the opportunity to do that.

No matter what people may say years later — if he ducked or he was a coward or whatever — they can’t take nothing he’s done away from him, they can’t take all his achievements away from him. He’s been champion a year after turning pro and ever since then, eighteen years now, so nobody can’t really say nothing. That’s the only things they can say, but who are they really hurting?

Are you really wasting your time saying that or are you really hurting Floyd himself?
I’m sure you would be wasting your time rather than really hurting any of them because he’s one of the highest paid athletes and he’s a boxer, so that right there motivates me to come in line to be the next highest paid boxer and keep that tradition coming.

Jenna J: How much do you think Floyd has done for the sport in regards to the fights he has given fans?

Deontay Wilder: I think he’s done a tremendous job personally and over the years he’s given fans exciting fights and given them what they want to see. Of course there are too many people in the world to please everybody, everybody will not be pleased or satisfied. He could fight Pacquiao in his next fight and somebody is not gonna be pleased or somebody is not gonna be happy, so that’s just the way the world works.

I hope he goes out on top and ends his career as a legend because a lot of people are looking up to him that can follow his footsteps as well too. I’m super happy for him and he’s done everything the right way, he’s kept his money, he’s living the dream that everybody wants to live as far as a fighter and he’s done it the right way. I can’t do nothing but take my hat off to him and follow his footsteps but only in the heavyweight division, bigger and better.

Jenna J: Deontay, you have the upcoming fight with Bermane Stiverne. I want to get your official prediction, how do you see that fight playing out from round one till the end?

Deontay Wilder: From round one till the end, I feel like I’m gonna make it look so easy, it’s gonna be the most easiest fight that I’ve ever been in. I’m gonna get a title that easy and people are gonna be mad at me. I’m gonna go in there and jab him and jab him and jab him because he likes to keep his hands low and he sits there like he’s a big man.

I told them once before — I think it was after the Firtha fight — I said, “I’m gonna be a sniper when that fight comes whether it was Chris (Arreola) or Stiverne,” and that’s what I’m gonna do, I’m gonna jab, jab, jab and finally put that boom on him. I’m looking for this fight to maybe be a first round fight, knockout!

I know he’s scared now, I hope he has nightmares about me each and every time. He better be sleeping with that belt up by his pillow because when the fight time comes, I’m gonna take that off him and he ain’t gonna have to worry about it no more.

I think it’s gonna be a first round fight and it’s gonna be a knockout, that’s for certain. No matter how many rounds it goes, it’s definitely not going to decision, I promise you that, I can put money on, it’s not going to a decision, it’s gonna be a knockout and he’s gonna get knocked out! BOMMMMMMMB SQUUUAAAADDDD!!