By Scott Gilfoid: American boxing fans have spoken in rating who the most talented heavyweight is in the United States at this time. Fightnews conducted a poll and unbeaten Deontay Wilder (28-0, 28 KO’s) has come out on top by a wide margin at 40% compared to the runner up Tony Thompson at 25%, Bryant Jennings at 13%, and Chris Arreola at a mere 10%.
This really doesn’t surprise me too much that Deontay has captured the number 1 spot for American heavyweights, because he has true one-punch power. I mean, Deontay is the textbook version of a classic knockout artist at heavyweight.
There hasn’t been quite a puncher like him that has come along for many years in the sport and it’s great that he’s emerged in this era to bring some excitement. The last great American heavyweight knockout artist Mike Tyson stopped fighting in 2005, and he hadn’t really been a force to be reckoned with since the late 80s.
Deontay is hungry and he’s not going to let success spoil it for him. He’s not won a world title yet, but his title shot is right around the corner and once he gets his shot against one of the Klitschkos, he’s going to have an excellent chance of finishing them off and taking over as the top guy in the division.
Deontay is poised for a title shot right now at number #6 WBA, and with a win over Sergiy Liakhovich next month on August 9th, Deontay should get pushed up 2 or 3 spots to at least the #3 position by the WBA. At that point all Deontay will need is one good victory and he’ll be locked in at the top position.
The current #1 WBA is David Haye. I’d like to see Deontay and Haye fight it out with the winner getting a chance to fight the winner of the Wladimir Kltischko vs Alexander Povetkin fight. That would be a superb fight to see Deontay and Haye squaring off with so much at stake for the winner.
I’m not sure that Haye would accept a fight with Deontay, though, because he’s sparred with him in the past and he knows what kind of puncher Deontay is. I doubt that he’d want a part of him. If the WBA ordered it as a condition to get a shot against Wladimir, I think Haye would back out, leaving Deontay to get the shot at Wladimir.
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