Deontay Wilder Beats Luis Ortiz Via 10th-Round TKO to Stay Undefeated

Deontay Wilder improved to 40-0 Saturday when he defeated Luis Ortiz via 10th-round TKO at Barclays Center in Brooklyn to retain his WBC heavyweight title. 

Showtime Boxing relayed video of the moment Wilder sent Ortiz tumbling to the canvas: 

Wilder has successfully defended his heavyweight title seven times since he captured the strap with a unanimous-decision win over Bermane Stiverne in January 2015.  

While The Bronze Bomber was a heavy minus-325 (bet $325 to win $100) favorite as of March 1, according to OddsShark, Ortiz dictated pace early.  

In fact, the Cuban challenger unloaded on Wilder in the seventh round—at which point it looked like a matter of when, not if, he would hit the mat: 

But as Yahoo Sports' Chris Mannix noted, Wilder withstood Ortiz's flurry to complete one of the most dramatic comebacks in recent memory: 

The only question now is if Wilder and Anthony Joshua—the top-ranked heavyweight in the world, according to Ring Magazine—will meet for a titanic clash, assuming Joshua bests Joseph Parker on March 31. 

"It's time to return the heavyweight crown to America," Wilder told The Telegraph's Gareth A Davies. "An American at the top of the heavyweight division again would bring great interest in the sport, and people are looking forward to me doing that in the division." 

To this point, Joshua's camp has embraced the prospect of a showdown. 

"Make no mistake, I was with Anthony Joshua this morning. He wants to fight Deontay Wilder," Joshua's promoter, Eddie Hearn, told Sky Sports News. "He sees that as an easier fight potentially than the Joseph Parker fight.

"The plan is to become undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. He's got to deal with Parker first on March 31. It's a tough fight. After that, Deontay is coming to Cardiff. We can sit down; we can get that fight made. No problems from our side."

With verbal jabs already flying, all eyes will shift toward a meeting that could help revive the division.