LAS VEGAS – Deontay Wilder thinks it’s time his critics start recognizing what he can do, rather than what he can’t do.

Criticized for years for his fundamental flaws, the long-reigning WBC heavyweight champion reminded his doubters following his knockout of Luis Ortiz on Saturday night that he remains unbeaten. The 34-year-old Wilder (42-0-1, 41 KOs) also owns the highest knockout ratio of any current champion in boxing (95 percent).

His seventh-round victory over Ortiz secured Wilder’s rematch with Tyson Fury, one of two opponents who has gone the 12-round distance with Wilder. The first opponent to avoid getting knocked out by Wilder, Bermane Stiverne, was knocked down three times on his way to getting knocked out in the first round of their rematch in November 2017.

England’s Fury (29-0-1, 20 KOs) is perhaps the most skillful heavyweight in boxing, but Wilder’s pulverizing power is the ultimate equalizer. Wilder proved that yet again Saturday night, when, down on all three scorecards, his crushing right hand ended his 12-round rematch against Ortiz (31-2, 26 KOs, 2 NC) with nine seconds to go in the seventh round at MGM Grand Garden Arena.

“I’m looking forward to fighting a lot of the top guys in the division,” Wilder said at the post-fight press conference. “I said I only have six years in the sport that I wanna dedicate my energy and my passion to, and I mean that. So, I ask everyone [to] give me my roses right now. You know, give me my due respect and my credit right now. You know, I am here, and I ain’t going nowhere. My style is here. What I bring to boxing is here, and I ain’t going nowhere.

“People always talk about skills and skills and skills. But as I can see it, I’m still undefeated. I’m knocking out everyone that I face. And these guys that have skills, they gettin’ beat. So, I mean, something got to – I mean, it speaks for itself. So, at this point in time, I need my due respect, please.”

When asked if that meant recognition on subjective pound-for-pound lists, the Tuscaloosa, Alabama, native made it clear he isn’t concerned with that type of appreciation.

“When you’re dealing with pound-for-pound, I don’t think it belongs in the heavyweight division,” Wilder said. “We stay in one division. We can’t go up and down, like all these small guys. So, you know, I don’t really consider us having a pound-for-pound. And, you know, you’re always gonna have people say this and say that.

“You’re gonna have people that like you. You’re gonna have people that don’t like you. And that’s just a part of life in general. And I never worry about the things that I can’t control, what people see and what they don’t see. At the end of the day, you’re gonna pay to see me win, you’re gonna pay to see me lose. But at the end of the night, you’re gonna get a great fight.” 

Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.