In a career-defining performance against the most avoided fighter in the heavyweight division, Deontay Wilder (40-0, 39 KOs) rallied from the brink of defeat to finish fellow unbeaten Luis "King Kong" Ortiz in a dramatic, all-action fight in Brooklyn.

Joy Sports Gary Al-Smith points out his top keys from the bout.  

🥊 Deontay Wilder, now 40-0, definitely had the toughest test of his career tonight. As brash as he can be, he had to acknowledge it himself.

🥊 Hear the 32-year old as good as admit it: "A true champion always finds a way to come back and that's what I did tonight. If you speak it and believe it, you will receive it, baby. The mind is very powerful." Wilder had to wear Ortiz down, which was a gamble. To be honest, that plan did not work. The knockout was simply a good moment where he took his chance. It didn't come because Ortiz was tired.

🥊 As for the Cuban, he lived up to his rep of being an educated puncher. Loved how from the start Wilder could clearly see that he couldn't punch his way to a signature early KO. Ortiz was value for money as he outpunched the taller man.

🥊 If you didn't believe Wilder isn't technically very good, Ortiz laid it bare for all to see. And we also saw, once more, why Wilder likes finishing opponents so quickly. He can't risk going the distance with good fighters, because judges will then have to be generous for him to win. Can't have that, fam.

🥊 The fight went 10 rounds. Before the knockout I gave six of them (yes, six) to Ortiz. Specifically, rounds 1, 3, 4, 7, 8 and 9. This is my first time watching an Ortiz bout live, and I have massive respect for him. Wilder is accused of sometimes being just brute force; Ortiz has a proper boxing brain. No wonder the American spoke highly of his 38-year old senior even after the fight.

🥊 Round Seven. That round is required viewing for anyone who wants to beat Wilder because Ortiz totally destroyed him. And that was the moment to take the Bronze Bomber down. Heck, even in the next round Wilder was a bit off and Ortiz didn't finish it.

🥊 At the time of the stoppage, all three judges had it scored 85-84 for Wilder. Rubbish! No way Wilder was ahead. No freaking way. Which is why Ortiz really should have killed it earlier.

🥊 Lou DiBella, Wilder's promoter, praised his guy after the fight, but may also have predicted a certain future. "His punching power is ungodly. It allows him to make mistakes that other people can't get away with." This quote says that once anyone can take away Wilder's ability to punch, the Bronze Bomber is toast. Wilder needs someone to coach him on something other than raw power, else his reign won't last.

🥊 Is Wilder ready for Anthony Joshua? Yes. The American is in great shape. Assuming unified champion Joshua (20-0, 20 KOs) defends his belts against New Zealand's Joseph Parker later this month, the boxing world cannot wait any longer. That fight must happen before end of 2019.

🥊 For the young and upcoming Ghanaian boxer, the lesson is simple: go the Ortiz way. Though six years older than Wilder, the Cuban has fought 11 less bouts. That's because he has spent time building a solid amateur profile. And the benefits are there for all to see. In addition to being a hard puncher himself, his clarity of expression in the ring comes from years of honing and learning the craft. Amateur boxing is the way. 

--

Get Gary on Twitter @garyalsmith