How talented is Deontay Wilder?

By Boxing News - 01/27/2013 - Comments

wilder322By Tony Crooks: Deontay Wilder has a very impressive record with 27 KO’s and no losses; on paper this appears to be in actual fact imposing, so much so that every heavyweight in the world should be tormented by the nightmares that most early Tyson opponents experienced. Why is not the case?

Lets us make a comparable with Lennox Lewis at the exactly the same time in their respective careers. Lewis fought Donavon Razor Ruddock in his twenty second fight and won by KO in the second round. Wilder fought Jesse Oltmanns, Jesse who? Lewis then fought Tony Tucker, Wilder fights Owen Beck, Owen who? Both Ruddock and Tucker were dangerous fights for Lewis at that time in his career, Oltmanns and Beck sounds more like a department store than they do boxers.

Would Golden Boy have put Wilder in with Lennox Lewis in his twenty second fight? I believe that we all know the answer to that question. Wilder has a good right hand against lower tier fighters, the reason for this is that lower tier fighters are what they are, they lack the skills to defend themselves.

Ruddock or Tucker would have seen Wilder’s right hand coming the week before he threw the punch and god only knows what Lennox Lewis would have done with the protected Wilder. Nigel Benn was one of the most exiting fighters ever, KO after KO, when he faced boxers that could take his best shots in the shape of Michael Watson and Chris Eubank, he lost.

Will this be the same for Wilder? For the record Nigel Benn was a truly great fighter and a testament to the human fighting spirit, if Wilder can ever emulate Nigel Benn, he would then earn the respect of the boxing fraternity, until he proves that he can win a hard fought twelve round decision, he has given his all and his opponent is still standing, then I might start to believe.

Mike Tyson fought Tony Tucker when he was then IBF heavyweight champion; he also fought Ruddock twice winning once by TKO and the other on a twelve round decision. Lennox Lewis fought Tucker, a former IBF heavyweight’s champion, still in his prime and Ruddock who had previously taken Tyson twelve rounds and beat both of them convincingly.

Oltmanns & Beck doesn’t have quite the same kudos. I will follow Wilder’s career to its ultimate glory or its gloomy bitter end, I do believe that he has the thrill factor about him, having said that, If all else fails Wilder could always get a job at Oltmanns & Beck.



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