Heavyweight puncher Deontay Wilder would caution fellow former world champion Joseph Parker to avoid a potential fire fight.
The two ex-beltholders will collide as part of a big event on December 23 in Saudi Arabia.
Wilder has been out of the ring since October of 2022, when he knocked out Robert Helenius in a single round.
Parker has been far more active – with Wilder being his fourth fight in 2023.
The winner would automatically position himself for a major opportunity in 2024.
Some observers believe Parker should push the pace and jump on Wilder early, but the ‘Bronze Bomber’ would advise him to pick another strategy.
“If Joseph Parker tries to walk me down, there’s two words for that: Robert Helenius. We knew each other very well, but my style had changed a bit from when we sparred, he wasn’t used to me being a mover. He was used to me sitting there, fighting fire with fire. When I switched it up, it knocked him off his game, which caused him to change his game plan up and he started lunging at me, trying to walk me down and the first right hand I threw it knocked him out,” Wilder said to Vegas Insider.
“If Joseph Parker comes out and fights with fire with fire, he will be playing a dangerous game when it comes to me because of the power I have. Because when I come to punch I punch through you, not just to you. It will be exciting to see his game plan, but when he feels the power the first time his game plan is going to change. I’m looking forward to knocking him out, we were meant to fight many, many years ago but he ran from me.
“Parker has stated many times he’s a new man and new fighter and when we came face to face he looked very confident. He really believed in his words and after feeling his energy, it allowed me to come home to train even harder because I know what I’m up against. That’s all a fighter wants from another fighter – that they come and bring his best. Because I’m coming to bring my all, you’re looking at a man that’s willing to die in the ring at any given time. I’ve proved that many times and it’s not going to stop until the end of my career.”