When WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder found out his scheduled fight against Luis Ortiz had been called off last year, the “Bronze Bomber” didn’t hide his disappointment. Four months later, the self-styled leader of Bomb Zquad Nation finally is set to face off against the undefeated Cuban contender Saturday at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
“We’re gonna put the most dangerous with the most feared, and mix the recipe together and see what kind of cake we come out with,” Wilder (39-0, 38 KOs) told amNewYork on Wednesday after his media workout at the arena. “But no matter what kind of cake we come out with, on those candles, it’s gonna say ‘Bomb Zquad’ all day, baby.”
The two were originally supposed to face each other in November, but Ortiz tested positive for a banned substance. A visibly agitated Wilder let out his frustrations on Bermane Stiverne instead, scoring a first-round knockout in their rematch.
Ortiz (28-0, 24 KOs), nicknamed “King Kong,” looked dominant against Daniel Martz in December, notching a highlight-reel KO in the second round. Still, the 38-year-old has yet to face a fighter of Wilder’s caliber, and the champion believed that gives him a considerable edge.
“When you’re dealing with a guy who wants to rip his head off, wants to get in there not scared of no man no matter who they are, no matter what type of build, no matter what school they come from, no matter what country they come from, it’s a different story,” Wilder said.
With a win Saturday, Wilder will have defended his share of the heavyweight title seven times. While fight fans are clamoring for a unification bout with WBA and IBF champ Anthony Joshua, that showdown may not occur until at least next year. But Wilder remained unflappable, insisting he’s ready to take on all comers.
“Deontay Wilder ain’t never stray from no fight,” the 32-year-old said. “He’s always been down for whatever, whenever, wherever. That’s just in me. I’ve got a natural killer instinct, something that is born in me, something that can’t be made of me. I’m self-made, and I’m ready to show the world who I am.”
