Anthony Joshua vs Joseph Parker: WBC champion Deontay Wilder cranks up war of words ahead of Luis Ortiz fight

Wilder chose to address Joshua directly at Thursday's final press conference ahead of the Ortiz fight in Manhattan and hit out at Hearn during an animated rant 

Declan Taylor
New York
Saturday 03 March 2018 14:28 GMT
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Deontay Wilder faces off with undefeated contender Luis Ortiz
Deontay Wilder faces off with undefeated contender Luis Ortiz (Getty)

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Deontay Wilder cranked up his war of words with Anthony Joshua by describing the Londoner's promoter, Eddie Hearn, as 'just another white man milking a black man'.

The WBC champion puts his title on the line against undefeated Cuban southpaw Luis Ortiz here in New York on Saturday night in what is widely considered the hardest fight of his career to date.

But Wilder chose to address Joshua directly at Thursday's final press conference in Manhattan and hit out at Hearn during an animated rant at the Edison Ballroom.

“Eddie Hearn is just another white man milking a black man, that's all it is,” Wilder said. “It's easy.

“It's about time for somebody to say it and come out with it and I don't care who hears it. I don't hold my voice and I don't have any filters, I speak what I think.

“Joshua has been letting him do it because if Joshua really wanted this fight he knows how to make it happen.

“Give the fans what they want to see. I already did you a favour by fighting Luis Ortiz because you ducked him. You don't have to worry about him anymore.”

Instead Joshua takes on Joseph Parker at Cardiff's Principality Stadium on March 31 in a bid to add the New Zealander's WBO belt to his WBA and IBF heavyweight titles.

Then Joshua and Hearn are hoping to secure a huge clash with the winner of Saturday's contest in New York, in a bid to make the Londoner the first man in history to hold all four major belts simultaneously.

And Wilder insists he will do his bit to smooth over negotiations by agreeing to face Joshua in London should he come through unscathed against Ortiz.

Wilder fights Ortiz in the early hours of Sunday morning
Wilder fights Ortiz in the early hours of Sunday morning (Getty)

“You know I'm ready to fight at any given time. I will even come to your home town, I will come to your back yard.

“I love England, I love coming there, I'm right at home there.

“I won't be chasing him around but once I've finished with Luis Ortiz and if he wins against Joseph Parker, it's time man.

“It will be the biggest fight of our generation and the biggest fight of both of our careers.

“No excuses, the best should fight the best.”

Joshua, the poster boy of British boxing and one of the biggest names in the sport globally, is widely considered the best heavyweight on the planet but Wilder insists he is No.1.

Wilder insists he is the best heavyweight on the planet
Wilder insists he is the best heavyweight on the planet (Getty)

Now he says beating Ortiz at the Barclays Center will prove it.

“I think Ortiz is one of the best technical fighters in the business with his Cuban background.

“A lot of people have labelled him the bogeyman of the division and a lot of guys have avoided him.

Wilder boasts a perfect professional record of 39-0
Wilder boasts a perfect professional record of 39-0 (Getty)

“But I have always said I'm the best, I say it all the time, I believe in myself. I don't need nobody to believe in me. It’s not up to anybody but myself.

“Every time I have gone under these lights I've brought the beauty. I've given you the knockouts you want to see.

“I say I'm the best, they say he's the best and that's what boxing is all about. I couldn't see it any other way. People ask me why I'm fighting him. I didn't have to fight this guy, I had all the excuses to run away from this, easy.

“But I want to prove I am the best heavyweight in the world, the baddest man on the planet. This is the best fight in boxing that can be made. It doesn't get better than this.”

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