By Eric Baldwin: WBC heavyweight champion Deontay “Bronze Bomber” Wilder (36-0, 35 KOs) was shaken up to learn of boxing great Muhammad Ali’s death last Friday. Ali passed away at 74 in Phoenix, Arizona. Wilder says he wants to be great the way that Ali was during his pro career. The best way that Wilder wants to do that is by winning more world titles and unifying the heavyweight division.
Wilder liked the way that Ali didn’t hold his tongue when he was with people. He would say what was on his mind without reservations. Wilder admired that quality about Ali.
Wilder was supposed to have defended his WBC title last month against his mandatory challenger Alexander Povetkin, but the Russian fighter tested positive for a banned substance. The World Boxing Council has since given Wilder permission to take a voluntary defense while they decide what they’re going to do with Povetkin. Wilder expects to fight in July against a still to be determined opponent. The opponent could be Chris Arreola.
“I want to be that unified champion, that symbol of being a champion all over the world, like Muhammad Ali,” Wilder said to the latimes.com. “The best way to honor him is by being great in the ring, letting his legacy live on through me and bring that message to the world in this era.”
For Wilder to be great, he’s going to need to be able to beat fighters like Tyson Fury, Povetkin, Luis “The Real King Kong” Ortiz, Anthony Joshua, Joseph Parker and Wladimir Klitschko. Those are the main guys that are the biggest threat to Wilder right now.
There’s only six fighters that Wilder would need to beat for him to clean out the heavyweight division until the next crop of heavyweights emerge. However, beating those guys won’t be easy because they all can punch and have excellent boxing skills. They’re also very large heavyweights and would be seeing the 6’7” Wilder eye-to-eye with their height. Wilder might have a little height and reach advantage over those fighters, but not like what he’s become accustomed to against his shorter opposition.
“He never held his tongue, and I’m the same way. I speak my piece,” said Wilder about Ali. “People can emulate him, try to talk like him, but there will never be another man like him. So it’s just a sad moment for me.”
Words can't describe how I felt about this man…. #CassiusClay aka #MuhammadAli…. #RIP #GOAT #LoveU pic.twitter.com/htNYp84Zvs
— Deontay Wilder (@BronzeBomber) June 4, 2016
Ali meant a lot to many people because he was both a great boxer and a great person. During Ali’s prime of his boxing career, he dominated the heavyweight division and ruled it with an iron fist in beating all the top names such as Sonny Liston, Floyd Patterson, Joe Frazier, Ken Norton, George Foreman, Earnie Shavers and Jerry Quarry.
There was no one that Ali couldn’t beat during the best years of his career. For Wilder to be able to accomplish What Ali did, he would need to beat all the top champions and contenders in the game right not and continue to fight at a high level for the next five or six years. Ali’s career began to wane in his mid-30s. However, Ali fought frequently and was already a top fighter early in his career. Wilder’s success has come late with him in his late 20s. He’s now 30-years-old and has been the WBC champion for a year now.
Wilder hasn’t looked like a dominate heavyweight champion in his three title defenses this far. He struggled to beat his last opponent Artur Szpilka last January before knocking him out cold in the 9th. Wilder also didn’t look good in beating Eric Molina and Johann Duhaupas. Molina staggered Wilder at one point in the fight. Wilder should have been able to crush Molina if he was a dominate heavyweight.
What was noticeable about Wilder’s three title defenses this far is how reluctant he is to get hit. It’s as if he doesn’t trust his chin to be able to take the shots that normal heavyweights are expected to take. Ali was always willing to take big shots in order to land his own punches. He didn’t shy away from contact in his fights, which is what made him so exciting to watch. He was willing to stick his neck out when fighting in order entertain the fans.