Astute observers may disagree with Deontay Wilder.
On the one hand his résumé is not deep and his skill set has been the target of constant criticism over the years. On the other hand, he is one of the hardest hitters of all time and has one of the longest heavyweight championships in recent years.
The “Bronze Bomber” will almost certainly make an appearance in the International Boxing Hall of Fame – top heavyweights usually do – but die-hard fans will debate his ability me forever.
Here’s a look at Wilder as he prepares to face fellow countryman Robert Helenius on Saturday pay-per-view at Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn, New York.
BAD
Wilder won the WBC heavyweight belt overtaking Bermane Stiverne in 2015 and held it until Tyson Fury stopped him in their second bout in 2020, an impressive streak that included 10 belt defenses. successful.
But who did he hit?
Here is a list of challengers who did not win his belt: Eric Molina, Johann Duhaupus, Artur Szpilka, Chris Arreola, Gerald Washington, Stiverne again, Luis Ortiz, Fury (draw), Dominic Breazeale and Ortiz once again.
If you’re not surprised by that group, you’re not alone. Wilder’s most impressive victories were probably those against the well-trained, powerful Ortiz, although the Cuban lost his biggest fights and never won the title.
Besides Ortiz? A large, clear wasteland raises questions about Wilder’s place in heavyweight history.
Then there were three fights with Fury. You can give a draw, as most observers think the Englishman was robbed by the judges. And while Wilder showed great bravery in the second and third meetings, he was brutally taken down in both matches.
Fury was the heaviest heavyweight of his time. However, Wilder’s 0-2-1 record in his biggest three games is a glaring stain on his résumé.
Critics also love to talk about his perceived limitations as a boxer, noting that he wins fights almost solely because of his undeniable punching prowess. Some have gone as far as to say that he is one of the weakest technicians of all the heavyweight title holders.
The truth is that he’s not a very good boxer, which matters to many purists. They might ask: “How can a boxer with such limitations join the team of big heavyweights?”
Resume too, plus two defeats against Fury, questionable boxing skills. Those are legitimate criticisms of Wilder.
GOOD
No one can tell with any legitimacy that Wilder has a strong background. He is not. However, the same could be said of other strong candidates who were more respected than him.
Take Wladimir Klitschko as an example. The Ukrainian star deserves to be in the Hall of Fame because of his long-term stability.
But we can also ask about him: Who did he hit? Klitschko’s biggest wins were probably wins over Alexander Povetkin, David Haye and Samuel Peter, who were fine, but largely forgettable heavyweights.
Just to be clear: Klitschko has beaten more such heavyweights in over a decade at the top of the sport, which is why he’s earned the respect of everyone. At the same time, he was defeated by journeymen Ross Puritty, Corrie Sanders and Lamon Brewster before failing in his career. And, like Wilder, he has never beaten a heavyweight with special abilities.
Wilder defeated all but one of the men who had been ranked ahead of him, most of whom had been ranked candidates. That’s all that can be expected of him.
The Fury’s fights clearly don’t help his resume. Bad loss is bad loss. However, he deserves credit for recovering from a terrible loss in Fight 2 in February 2020 to make Fury absolute hell in the classic fight 3 in October 2021, bringing down Fury. knocked down the world’s heaviest heavyweight twice before stopping on his own.
If nothing else, Wilder has been recognized for his warrior spirit, which makes sense for many fans.
His skill set? Criticisms are overblown.
Wilder clearly doesn’t have Oleksandr Usyk’s abilities – who does? – but he knows what he’s doing. A powerful puncher often doesn’t hit the target by accident; he was patient, methodically arranging them before unloading.
That’s what Wilder has done throughout his career. And it takes skill. To be sure, he’s developed a great delivery system for what might be history’s most powerful right-hand man, which is underappreciated.
CONCLUSION
Wilder’s complete story has not been written.
If all goes well for him on Saturday, the 36-year-old (aged 37 on October 22) could share the ring with the likes of Usyk or Anthony Joshua. If he fights and wins one or both, he will be seen differently. Of course, if you lose, that’s okay too.
As things stand, he’s not as bad as his critics suggest and not as good as his most ardent supporters believe he is. That is the case with most fighters.
However, I will add this: It is not easy to retain any world title for 5 years and 10 defenses. The same goes for 41 knockouts in 45 games, which makes Wilder one of the greatest knockout artists of all time.
And, in the end, he is a relatively small weight. He’s tall, 6 feet 7, but his natural weight is over 220 pounds. He could hit the 200 cruiser weight limit if he really wanted to. The fact that he’s accomplished all he’s got with his skinny frame is impressive.
That’s a good word to describe Wilder, “impressive.”
