This past Saturday night, Olympic bronze medal winner Deontay Wilder (34-0, 33KOs) knocked Eric Molina out after nine rounds in Alabama to retain the WBC world heavyweight championship.
The 239-pound Texan had already been knocked down on three occasions but managed to get up every time before Wilder delivered the final big blow with 1:03 left in the ninth. Molina did get some early respect when he caught Wilder with a big right in the third, a shot which rocked the legs of the champion.
Tuscaloosa-native Wilder, 29, was defending the belt he won from Bermane Stiverne in January in what was the first-ever world championship fight in his home state of Alabama.
While Wilder is rising in the United States, Olympic gold medal winner Anthony Joshua (13-0, 13KOs) is rising high in the UK.
Joshua would love to get in the ring with former champion David Haye, who recently expressed his interest in facing the young up and comer.
But Joshua says he would be willing to face Wilder even before facing Haye.
"There is a big fight out there for me if David Haye makes his comeback," Joshua said to Sky Sports. "But I would be happy to meet Deontay before that. He has raw power but I believe I’m a better boxer."