WBC heavyweight champion of the world Deontay Wilder finds himself making final preparations at present for his rematch next week against Cuban Luis Ortiz.
The pair fought in a highly entertaining battle last year where we were reminded just how exciting Deontay Wilder is.
A concussive knockout artist but a vulnerable one at times.
Ortiz rocked him badly in the bout but Wilder showed his champion’s heart to weather the storm and come back to get the stoppage.
Earlier this week on a conference call Wilder outlined his long-term vision of wanting to surpass the undefeated record of fellow American boxer Floyd Mayweather (50-0).
A professional record built over a long period of time.
Done so in many ways during a different era in boxing compared to this new more technologically advanced one.
Wilder’s current professional resume sits on 40-0-1 (40 KO) so he has a bit to go just yet.
Particularly considering he and many of the other top stars in boxing only fight a max of twice a year these days.
If you do the math, if he were to win next week against Ortiz and fight twice a year from there on out and remain undefeated it would take the now 34-year-old Wilder around five years to surpass it to 51-0-1.
When he’d be 39 or thereabouts.
Not that old for a heavyweight, realistically.
Of course, there’s also the fact he’d have to do it in a far more dangerous environment given that he’s a heavyweight.
A division where one punch can literally end someone’s night in the blink of an eye.
This, coupled with top tier opposition like Anthony Joshua, Andy Ruiz and Tyson Fury over the next few years makes the goal no easy feat.
Moreover, on the call Wilder said he actually wants to go 52-0 and have 51 knkcouts.
An even loftier vision.
Floyd Mayeather compiled his record using a defensive, safety-first counter punching style over the years.
Deontay Wilder in many ways possesses pretty much the opposite style.
In the brutally unforgiving heavyweight division, too.
Time will tell if he can accomplish it but massive kudos to him for setting the bar so high.
