World heavyweight champion, Deontay Wilder needed to dig deep to beat Luis Ortiz last weekend, surviving a scary moment in the seventh round when the Cuban looked to have him all but beaten.

Ortiz, 38, caught Wilder with a powerful right hand as the American marched forward recklessly with just over 90 seconds left before the bell.

It wobbled the Bronze Bomber, halting him in his tracks as Ortiz smelled blood and unloaded a barrage of combinations on the WBC champion as he struggled against the ropes.

Wilder desperately tried to drag King Kong into the clinch to run down the clock but failed to tie up his man, leaving him looking vulnerable to a stoppage.

But he showed impressive heart to make it to the end of the round.

Now, during an interview with talkSPORT’s Adam Catterall last night, the 32-year-old revealed what was going through his mind at the time.

“I always tell people there’s a difference between hurt in the ring and buzzed,” Wilder explained.

“He definitely buzzed me. I wasn’t hurt at all, I was still well aware of where I was. I was still well aware of what was going on because I was just buzzed.

“When you’re hurt, you don’t know where you are. You could be on the ground but you think you’re still in the fight.

“When you’re buzzed you just get that ringing and you’re just trying to collect yourself. The best thing I could do in that position was to keep my composure and to stay calm.

“I was my number one coach during that time. I had my stealth coach come out of me telling me ‘it’s your time. You’re the champ. You’re good, baby. Don’t worry, it’s okay.’

“When you fight Deontay Wilder, you’ve got to bring it all.

“That’s why these guys train the hardest when they get ready to fight me because I’m a different breed of a fighter.”

Wilder eventually managed to overwhelm his ageing opponent in the 10th round, catching a visibly tired Ortiz with his trademark right hand to drop the Cuban to the canvas.

He was sent to the canvas once more before a murderous uppercut from Wilder finished the contest in emphatic style.

Victory marked the seventh defence of Wilder’s WBC heavyweight crown – and kept his hopes of facing Anthony Joshua alive.

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