While sitting in his vehicle, former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder (43-2-1, 42 KOs) conducted a virtual round table with a small, select group of media. He was in a good mood and filled with confidence as Wilder heads to Saudi Arabia in the coming days to face former WBO champion Joseph Parker (33-3, 23 KOs) on December 23 in an event called “Day of Reckoning.” ProBoxTV asked the 38-year-old Wilder if he would be even scarier on fight night since he will be on foreign soil with potentially fewer distractions. Wilder wasted no time answering and said, “Deontay Wilder is scary on any given day or night. It doesn’t matter what environment I’m in.”
That’s the sound of the heavyweight who captured the imagination of fans when he was knocking out one fighter after another. Throughout the trilogy with WBC champion Tyson Fury, he seemed to lose some of that edge but wasted no time to regain it when he knocked out Robert Helenius in October 2022. It was the knockout he needed, and after failed attempts to negotiate a fight with former unified champion Andy Ruiz, Wilder was able to land an opportunity to be on a bigger stage in Saudi Arabia.
Fighting in the Middle East is something Wilder is really looking forward. “It excites me even more that I’m in a place I’ve never fought before, so it’s my debut,” said Wilder. “Saudi loves my style. They love a knockout artist. I fit the bill 100%. What they are looking for from me, I’m looking to give it to them.”
Wilder continued, “I can’t wait for that night. Knocking people out is something I naturally do. It ain’t something I have to train so hard to do. Every guy I faced I’ve knocked down and put them down on the canvas. I’m looking forward to adding Joseph Parker to the many that came before him.”
One thing that Wilder has never lacked is confidence and while he has a fight with Parker on December 23, the real fight everyone wants to see is the one with Anthony Joshua next fight. Wilder was hesitant to give any real updates on the probability but feels a win against Parker would get him that fight.
“Day of Reckoning” will not only be a loaded fight card but also serve as a mini tournament for the heavyweight division and a sneak peek at what next year could bring us.
