WBC heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder is predicting a complete wipeout of undefeated challenger Luis Ortiz on Saturday, March 3rd, from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
On Thursday, Wilder (39-0, 38 KOs) held a training session at Team Watson Boxing Club in the San Fernando Valley with his Los Angeles-based trainer Mark Breland.
The fight with Ortiz, who owns a professional record of 28-0 with 24 knockouts, is widely viewed as the biggest test in the undefeated champion's career.
They were scheduled to fight each other last November, but the contest was called off after Ortiz failed a pre-fight drug tests.
Ortiz was replaced by Bermane Stiverne, who Wilder destroyed in a single round - in what was a rematch of a 2015 contest where Stiverne lasted the full twelve round distance.
After the WBC conducted an investigation and officially cleared Ortiz - the Cuban puncher was allowed to fight Wilder for the green and gold belt.
"This is one of the biggest fights of my career and I'm up for the challenge. I'm going to pass with flying colors. Ortiz has got that reputation of being the bogeyman but I've never been scared of the bogeyman. For that reason, I wanted him. A lot of people have been avoiding him, even champions that are champions to this day have avoided Luis Ortiz. But this champion right here took on the opportunity," Wilder said.
"Even when [Ortiz] failed the drug test once, I still blessed him again because I'm very adamant about what I want to do. I want to fight the best. I say I'm the best. I say it very proudly, I say it very confidently. I say it so boldly and I want to show the world that I don't play around. If I say it, I really mean what I say. I don't have time to waste."
Wilder expects Ortiz to last a little longer than Stiverne - but not by much.
"People ask me the round and I always see threes. This year is a magical year. It's the year of the 33. So, I see threes everywhere. I see three rounds or less, maybe shorter than that. It all depends on how I feel when I see him," Wilder said.