Wilder: I got to make a statement, knock out Ortiz in the first round!

FightNights.com Special Report by Kendrick E. Johnson

LAS VEGAS -- For the second time in his splendid career, WBC Heavyweight Champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder will be having a rematch with a former opponent for his title.

If the longest reigning heavyweight champion has his way, this rematch will go very similar to his last rematch, which saw him stop Bermane Stiverne the man he beat for the title in 2015 folded up like a lawn chair after a Wilder highlight reel knockout.

“It is definitely a big deal for me to display a spectacular performance on Saturday night because it will linger into my next performance like most of my knockouts have,” Wilder said during an exclusive interview with FightNights.com.

“All my future opponents will be zoned in to see what I do Saturday night, so I got to make a statement. Say I knock him out in the first round that’s going to make a statement especially coming off a previous first-round knockout.

“They are going to be like damn this brother is not playing and everything I did will be all in their heads”.

With a contract signed, sealed and ready for another rematch lineal heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, Wilder wants everyone to know that he’s focused on beating WBC Heavyweight title contender Luis “King Kong” Ortiz Saturday night at MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Although most of the media attention is already shifted towards Fury or if Wilder will fight the winner of the Joshua vs. Ruiz rematch, Wilder is excited at the prospect of making history rarely seen in the heavyweight division.

As a win over Ortiz would be “The Bronze Bomber’s” tenth consecutive title defense which would put him a rarefied air considering it wasn’t even done by Hall of Famers, Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis or Evander Holyfield. Both Tyson and Lewis each has streaks of nine consecutive defenses in a row, before getting knocked out by Buster Douglas and Hasim Rahman respectively.

“I think about it some, but it’s crazy to me that many reporters aren’t bring this up and talking about it, but I don’t let my mind get wrapped around negative garbage,” Wilder said. “I’m grateful to be able to do what I do and be where I’m at even if it doesn’t get recognized by others. But I do know when I’m eventually done boxing, my kids will be proud and know their dad was a bad man and people in the boxing world will have to recognize what I accomplished.”

Wilder admits it took him four to five rounds to figure out Ortiz’s superior counter punching style in their first affair. And although he was severely hurt by a right hook and left hand from Ortiz in the seventh round of the fight, Wilder is extremely confident there will be a quicker outcome with a louder message once the final punch is thrown Saturday night.

“Everytime I fight I make a statement and that statement will be self-explanatory when I get with him this time around,” Wilder said. “The message is going be received all different ways by all the different guys, but at the end of the day my ultimate goal is to be the undisputed heavyweight champion in 2020.”

Kendrick Johnson can be reached on Twitter @kendrickjohnso