Deontay Wilder says Joseph Parker should be 'worried' because he's the 'hardest puncher in boxing history'

13/12/2023 11:47

Deontay Wilder is expecting a ‘devastating knockout’ win in his next fight against Joseph Parker.

The pair are set to clash in Saudi Arabia on December 23 on the same card as Anthony Joshua vs Otto Wallin.

Up to this point in his career, Wilder has knocked out or knocked down every man he has faced in the ring and he will be looking to do the same to Parker.

“He should be worried,” Wilder told talkSPORT. “Anyone who faces me should be worried.

“Women lie, men lie, but numbers don’t lie and I am the hardest puncher in boxing history and numbers don’t lie, at all.

“Every guy I’ve faced I’ve knocked out or put on the canvas, so I’m very dangerous and he should be aware of that.”

Wilder then revealed that he and Parker had previously been in negotiations to fight when the New Zealander was WBO heavyweight world champion in 2017, which was also when ‘The Bronze Bomber’ happened to hold the WBC world title.

“But, he’s already aware of that because when he was the WBO world champion, we had talks of fighting, but after my devastating knockout against Gerald Washington, he ran the other way,” Wilder explained.

As for what Wilder is hoping to do now that he has got Parker in the ring, he said: “I’m looking to put on a great performance for my debut in Saudi Arabia, no more, no less, and everything else just comes with me.

“The excitement, the explosive knockout, the explosive punches, that all just comes with me, that’s not something I have to make myself do to perform for people, that’s something I naturally do.

“So, I’m excited to be part of this and I’m looking for a devastating knockout and an amazing fight.”

Wilder continued: “I don’t think this is going to be a long, drawn out fight, I think it will be over with before you know it.

“I’m the type of fighter where you sit on the edge of your seat because you don’t know what’s gonna happen but when it does happen, bam baby.

“That’s the thing that everyone knows me as, you have to be ready when Wilder fights, you can’t go to the bathroom, you can’t get nothing to eat, you can’t turn your head and talk to your neighbour because at any given moment, at any given time, it could be over with.

“And I always tell people you don’t wanna be the one asking your neighbours ‘what happened?’ When you could’ve been paying attention and watch for yourself.”

Ahead of this clash, a lot has been made of the fact that Wilder has fought just once since 2021, and that fight only lasted one round, as he knocked out Robert Helenius.

Whereas Parker has been active with three fights and three wins under his belt already this year, but this is not a concern for Wilder.

“It doesn’t bother me at all,” Wilder said. “My body hasn’t been there, but my mind never left.

“And, although I haven’t been in competition, I’ve been in the gym, I’ve been training, people just haven’t seen me do these things, I’m not big on social media, I have so many other things that I do that I don’t find the time for it.

“But, that don’t mean anything to me, I’m ready to go and when you’re able to do the things in training and translate what you’re doing in training to sparring, that’s when you know you’re ready and I am ready.

“I’m ready more-so than ever and December 23 is going to tell its own story.”

'Day of Reckoning', Saturday 23rd December, as part of Riyadh season will be available live on DAZN and TNT Sports Box Office. For info on how to watch visit www.dayofreckoning.co.uk