By Scott Gilfoid: To show you good unbeaten heavyweight phenom Deontay Wilder (23-0, 23 KO’s) is he’s got even legendary trainer Emanuel Steward pumping him up and talking about how good he is and will in the near future. Wilder, 26, has a fight tomorrow night against Kertson Manswell (22-5, 17 KO’s) that will be televised on Fox Sports Next at the Exposition Hall, in Mobile, Alabama.
Although Steward isn’t pleased that Wilder is facing Manswell, he remains sold on Wilder’s talent and believes he’s good enough to challenge for a world title in 2013.
Steward told RingTV “As far as the American fighters, he’s No.1 to me among the American heavyweights. I think that he could step up and challenge in one year. I’m talking within 12 months…The fight he’s got coming up on Saturday, it ain’t s***. He’s got to get away from fights like that…He’s got to start fighting some real fighters.”
I agree with Steward. It’s time that Wilder’s handlers at Golden Boy Promotions take him off the soft diet that they’ve had him on since he turned pro in 2008 and let him fight at least fringe contenders for his next few bouts. Wilder is an active heavyweight, so he needs a few fringe contenders and then a few live top five contenders before challenging for the title next year.
Wilder doesn’t need to keep knocking out the Owen Beck’s of the boxing world, because the fact that he’s knocking everyone out within four rounds tells you that he needs to start facing better opposition already. Wilder has been brought along slowly because he didn’t have the benefit of a lengthy amateur background. I mean, Wilder previously only had a handful of fights when he was able to punch his way onto the 2008 U.S Olympic team and then win a bronze medal at the games. That shows you the kind of raw power he has, because you’ve either got to have incredible boxing skills or huge power to compete in the Olympics.
He did it on power alone. Since turning pro, his handlers have been trying to develop his jab and left hand more, and he’s only recently started showing improvement with his jab. His left hand still remains a problem area for him, but his right hand is so good that it won’t likely matter as he works his way up. By next year, Wilder should have improved his left hand enough to be a threat to the Klitschkos. But for now, his jab and right hand will be more than enough for him to slice through guys like Tyson Fury, Kubrat Pulev, Alexander Dimtrenko, Denis Boytsov and Chris Arreola.
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