Does Deontay Wilder still have enough strength to become a force in the heavyweight division?
By: Sean Crose
Deontay Wilder, the former WBC heavyweight world champion, will return to the ring this Saturday when he takes on the popular and powerful Zhilei Zhang in a scheduled 12 rounder in Saudi Arabia. Wilder, who some believe is the strongest puncher ever seen in boxing’s long and storied history, will fight for the first time since his unanimous decision loss to former teammate Joseph Parker in September. 12 last year. Sure, Wilder’s power is well documented. All but 1 of his 43 wins ended within the distance. Furthermore, Wilder defeated Tyson Fury multiple times in the 2018 draw as well as in the 2021 rubber match (which Fury won).
However, what did the 38-year-old Wilder leave behind? His three fights with Fury were terrible fights. Furthermore, this man looked nothing like his former self when he fought Parker last winter. And while Parker certainly looked good and deserved his upset victory, it was strange to see Wilder so indecisive in the ring. There’s no doubt Parker used a winning strategy, but it’s worth wondering if there was something else going on. Is Wilder showing evidence of a career in decline? Saturday’s match will provide some answers.
In fact, Zhang should have been tailor-made for Wilder. The New Jersey fighter is (according to China) not the most maneuverable or agile fighter on earth. Still, the guy can hit. Hard. Very difficult. Perhaps not as difficult as Wilder, but difficult enough to take down one opponent after another. BoxRec has him with a kill rate above 80%. Zhang also knows how to put pressure on his enemies. If Wilder is not at his best, he could be in trouble this weekend. At least this match should make for something interesting.
If Wilder appears impressive on Saturday, it will be interesting to see where he goes after his win over Zhang – provided he gets that win. Big fights with the likes of Anthony Joshua and current undisputed champion Oleksandr Usyk could be on the horizon. And let’s face it, would fans REALLY mind a fourth fight with Fury? The first three battles are not boring at all. However, they took their toll on each man and no one got any younger. Maybe three is enough in this particular case. No matter how things go, though, Wilder can never be said to not keep things interesting.
