Entering a rematch he has openly admitted he doesn't want and unable to attract his desired opponents, unbeaten WBC champion Deontay Wilder hasn't shied away from sharing his displeasure of the current state of the heavyweight division. 

Wilder (38-0, 37 KOs) will look to take out his anger on Saturday when he meets former champion and mandatory challenger Bermane Stiverne at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York (Showtime, 9 p.m. ET). 

In search of the universal critical respect that has alluded him due to a somewhat soft resume, Wilder was originally scheduled to face the dangerous Luis Ortiz before the Cuban slugger was pulled in September after failed a drug test. Stiverne (25-2-1, 21 KOs), who has been idle for two years and was paid by Wilder's team to step aside, was called up from the undercard on short notice. 

Wilder posted a series of erratic social media videos in which he got emotional about fighters either ducking him or seeking an unfair advantage after Ortiz became the third straight opponent to test dirty. He admitted in recent weeks that he considered retirement and went as far last week as saying he would retire if Stiverne defeats him. 

Stiverne remains the only fighter to go the distance against Wilder when he lost via unanimous decision in 2015.

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"Stiverne is going to see me come to Barclays Center and finish the job on Saturday," Wilder said. "He survived the first time. He's the only one to survive on their feet. This is something that I've come back to. I will finish the job this time."

Although the victory in their first fight put Wilder on the map, the bout was far from a showcase between the elites. Wilder broke his right hand in Round 3 and was forced to rely on his jab. Stiverne, meanwhile, claims an illness robbed him of his stamina and explosion. 

"Stiverne had a lot of excuses after the last fight. Nobody wants to hear excuses from the loser," Wilder said. "He knows what happened. I beat him 12 rounds in a row. I think this fight will be even easier for me. He hasn't improved since we last fought, but I'm going to show him a whole new Deontay Wilder. This is the end of Bermane Stiverne's career right here."

Wilder followed up the Stiverne win with five defenses of his title -- all ending via knockout. But the lineup of foes, some that have come as late replacements, have been a mixture of journeymen and washed-up names. 

The fight Wilder, and most boxing fans and experts alike, truly covets is against unified champion Anthony Joshua. The native of England, who stopped Carlos Takam last week in Wales in front of an indoor boxing record of 78,000 fans, has quickly grown to become one of the sport's biggest stars worldwide. 

Joshua (20-0, 20 KOs) has talked publicly about how, from a financial and critical perspective, Wilder needs the fight more. And although Joshua hopes to make it at some point in 2018, he has talked just as prominently about his other priorities, which include making mandatory defenses of his WBA and IBF titles. 

Matchroom Sport's Eddie Hearn, the promoter of Joshua, also appears much more interested in a big-money showdown against Tyson Fury if the former lineal champion who upset Wladimir Klitschko in 2015 can get into the kind of mental and physical shape needed to come back from his two-year break. 

"As soon as Anthony Joshua accepts the fight, then I'll be there," Wilder said. "They're trying to distract people because they know that I'm a danger to anybody's career. All their excuses have nothing to do with the sport of boxing. The only thing people care about is the best fighting the best, and that's what I'm trying to do."

Wilder can make quite a statement on Saturday -- both inside the ring and after on the microphone -- by knocking out Stiverne before using his platform to call out Joshua. But to get there, he'll need to defeat a version of Stiverne who has appeared more anxious and angry in the buildup to this fight than at any time previously. 

"I have no fear heading into this fight," Stiverne said. "It's not that I didn't see the openings in the last fight, I just couldn't physically perform how I needed to. I had health concerns last fight but now I've turned the chapter on that and I'm focused on Saturday night. This is going to be a completely different fight this time around.

"I'm hungry to win. I'm always motivated and excited about getting into the ring, but obviously this is the biggest chance I'm going to have."

Prediction

Both fighters have a lot to improve upon from their first meeting, which despite proving dramatic at times was largely a sloppy affair. But Stiverne's longterm success will ultimately be decided on how he reacts to Wilder's now healthy right hand. 

Despite the raw tendencies the 6-foot-7 Wilder still shows in terms of his technique after coming to the sport so late, the athletic champion has routinely proven that no heavyweight can take his best shot. Stiverne has been historically durable, but the right hand remains a true equalizer for Wilder should he fall behind on the scorecards. 

Wilder can box well once he gets into a rhythm behind his long jab and it will be crucial for Stiverne to close the gap and get inside in order for him to land counter shots and work the body. He came up short in that attempt the first time around and appeared to be gassed out fairly early, which might support his theory of being sick. 

The problem for Stiverne is that he has never been a high output fighter to begin with which means his best shot at victory could come by picking his spots and looking to test Wilder's chin from the outside. 

It appears Wilder is juggling an extra level of emotions than normal entering a fight which could have equally good and bad effects depending upon whether he gets lured into a brawl. But look in this one for Wilder to use his height and reach advantages to chip away at Stiverne, who is typically there to be hit, with right hands. 

The pick: Wilder via fifth-round knockout