LONDON — Deontay Wilder has said he is as confident as he has ever been ahead of his heavyweight showdown with Derek Chisora on Saturday.
Wilder (44-4-1, 43 KOs) will face Chisora (36-13, 23 KOs) in what will be both fighters’ 50th bout at the O2 Arena.
Chisora, 42, has vowed it will be his final fight before retirement while Wilder, 40, is targeting one last push towards a potential world title fight, having previously been in talks to fight Oleksandr Usyk late last year.
“My confident is through the roof at this moment in time. How I’ve been preparing and mentally and physically having gotten over certain things in the past. I’ve truly healed,” Wilder told ESPN.
“It’s important for me to go out and do what I need to do. It’s important because the heavyweight division needs me. I brought it back once before and I’ll bring it back again.”
It’s expected to be an emotional night in London given Chisora’s retirement plans and Wilder said he is prepared for the absolute best the Brit has to offer.
“I’m expecting a live Derek. I’m expecting someone that we’ve never seen before. This is his going out party,” Wilder said.
“And I need that. I need that type of Derek Chisora [for me] to say that I’m here, that I’m back and to go on and clean the division like I want to. We know he’s going to bring everything that he have.”
Chisora conceded he will will likely shed a tear when he arrives at the arena, as he did in before last fight against Otto Wallin, and Wilder said he may even do the same.
“Because from one fighter to another, for one warrior to another, I understand what we have to go through mentally, physically, and emotionally to be able to do this day in and day out,” Wilder said.