By Scott Gilfoid: Unbeaten heavyweight prospect Deontay Wilder (23-0, 23 KO’s) faces the capable Kertson Manswell (22-5, 17 KO’s) in a step up fight this Saturday scheduled for 10 rounds at the Exposition Hall, in Mobile, Alabama. Manswell, 35, 35 replaces Kelvin Price, who had to back out of the fight with Wilder after suffering a rib injury.
Wilder and his team were lucky to get Manswell, because the other options weren’t nearly so good. Manswell has got a lot of talent and has been in with a number of well known heavyweights like Ruslan Chagaev, Cedric Boswell, Alexander Ustinov, Mike Perez and Bermane Stiverne.
Wilder’s trainer Jay Deas said to Al.com “Usually when you have to replace a boxer this late in the game it’s someone that’s a step down. That was not the case here. We were able to find Kertson who was training for another fight.”
The 6’7″ Wilder, a former 2008 Olympic heavyweight bronze medalist for the United States, is really making a name for himself by knocking everyone out. There hasn’t been one fighter that Wilder has faced thus far that’s made it past the fourth round against him, and that’s because of the huge power that he has in his right hand. When he connects with his right hand, he knocks guys out cold. He’s got true one-punch power, and that makes him very hard to beat. Naturally, Wilder is now having problems getting quality opponents because few fighters want to face him and risk getting knocked out themselves.
The 6’4″ Manswell will be the biggest fighter that Wilder has faced, and he’s got excellent power to go along with his huge size. Wilder will have to make sure he gets to Manswell early because he can’t afford to let this guy stay in there too long and risk getting hit with ne of his own big shots.
Wilder hopes to keep moving up against better and better opposition with each fight, and hopefully get a title shot in 2013.
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