Deontay Wilder carries a new moniker — Dr. Sleep.
The former WBC heavyweight world champion will face the former WBO heavyweight champion Joesph Parker on Saturday in Saudi Arabia.
Wilder, at today’s fight-week press conference, didn’t hold back. After a mild start, Wilder alluded to a nickname he has never before branded — Dr. Sleep. And it appears this stems from a confident Parker stating that he is going to knock out Wilder.
Not keen on the few words Parker stated, Wilder prescribed his order for Saturday night’s contest.
“It is good he is getting advice," Wilder said. "I hope he [takes] it all in, because when he wakes up he will be like ‘damn, they lied to me.
“Nowadays my name is called Dr. Sleep, and I definitely got the NyQuil in the right hand. So I hope you bring a pillow, and a blanket, because it [gets] a little chilly at night.”
He continued: “I have heard that he said he is confident that he is going to knock me out, but I kind of [find that hard to] believe, because how could you have confidence in yourself as a challenger when you didn’t have confidence in yourself as a champion.
“It is kind of backwards to me, but whatever floats his boat. We will see whatever happens on Saturday night.”
Wilder, now 38-years-old, is on the same card as Anthony Joshua. Though nothing is set in stone it seems that if they both win, they will fight next year.
A tentative date of March has been thrown out. Yet, this fight date was supposed to be Tyson Fury versus Oleksandr Usyk until that fight was harder than expected pushing that contest back. With Saudi Arabia investing in heavyweight boxing — Wilder addressed Joshua, his long-time heavyweight rival as it seems that bout could finally happen.
“Honestly, I see a man [Joshua] has been focused and focused on the task [at hand]…[Joshua] has big task to complete, and I have one as well. So, when it is all over with, we can talk about it, but at this moment in time, it is getting close to the fight and I think we are both focused on the same task and that is to win.”
