Deontay Wilder vowed to ‘clean out’ heavyweight division while naming three dream opponents

DEONTAY WILDER vowed to "clean out" the heavyweight division last season as he prepares for his ring return.

Wilder, 36 years old, will be back in action in October when he takes on Robert Helenius in New York.

Since Tyson Fury's defeat in their trio fight last October, the former WBC champion has not fought.

After their first bout, Wilder lost the second one to Brits.

WBC champ Fury will be fighting WBA, IBF, and WBO champion Oleksandr Usyk.

At the weekend, Anthony Joshua was defeated by the Ukrainian.

Wilder spoke to Marcus Watson last year, before Fury's trilogy fight: "I would love to fight guys that I haven’t fought. You know, the ones at top who I haven’t fought."

"That's exactly what I want, and I know that's kinda lazy a bit, to not mention a name. But I've never faced anyone at the top.

Wilder replied to a question about Joshua and Ruiz: "Yeah." Wilder responded to questions about Joshua or Ruiz. He said: "Yeah. Any fighter at the top of the sport that people have not seen and that people want to see fight, that's who he wants to fight."

"I can name names all day. That's the easy part.

"I'm going to get to the top, and once I get to the top, it's somebody I haven't fought. That's who I want fight."

"I want to clear the division, period."

Joshua and Wilder fought for almost a year without being able to reach an agreement on terms.

This led to AJ facing Ruiz on June 2019, and he suffered a shocking upset, before winning the WBA/IBF/WBO belts back six month later.

Wilder was asked to name his three favorite opponents in any era and he praised fellow Alabamians Joe Louise, Earnie Shavers, and Evander Holyfield.

He stated that "when I'm asked that question my mind always returns to Alabama, bro with the fighters who came before me, that paved that way for me."

"Most of them had their careers in other states but they were born here.

"I would love to fight a man from my hometown, Joe Louis or Evander Holyfield. Evander is one of my favorite fighters.

Earnie Shavers is one of my favorite men. There are a lot of guys that come from this state other than those three, but I would love to share my ring with all three of them.