Mike Tyson: ‘Deontay Wilder wasn’t the same fighter in rematch”

By Boxing News - 03/28/2020 - Comments

By Kenneth Friedman:  Mike Tyson says Deontay Wilder didn’t look like the same fighter in his rematch with Tyson Fury as he was in their first fight in 2018.

Wilder’s lack of self-confidence caused him to fight a lot differently than he had in their first contest, and Fury took full advantage of it in stopping ‘Bronze Bomber’ in the 7th round. The way that Wilder lost the fight in such a one-sided manner, it suggests that it prove difficult for him to turn things around in the third contest with Fury.

Deontay lacked the self-confidence he had in the first fight

Tyson notes that Wilder (42-1-1, 41 KOs) lacked the zest and confidence that he had when he fought Fury (30-0-1, 21 KOs), and that was the difference. This isn’t the end of Wilder’s career, says Tyson.

He believes that Wilder can still make money, and he says he has a chance of beating Fury when they face each other again. Wilder will certainly make a lot of money in his trilogy fight with Fury, which is slated for October 3. Unless Wilder has second thoughts, he’ll get a big payday and could even win if he lands one of his big right hands on Fury’s chin.

Image: Mike Tyson: 'Deontay Wilder wasn't the same fighter in rematch"

Wilder can still make money – Mike Tyson

“His father named him after me,” said Mike Tyson to Fat Joe on Instagram Live about Fury. “He’s different, and he’s 6’7″, 6’10”, but he’s really elusive, he’s a boxer, and I just wish him the best of luck.

“Wilder can still make a lot of money. He shouldn’t feel sad or discouraged. And he should continue to go out there and fight with a lot of zest and confidence.

He feels like giving up, ‘Oh, my life is over. I’ve made $90 million dollars. My life is over.’ Oh God, I want to die.’ Grow up. Keep going through it until it’s really over. Well, listen, he didn’t fight the same fight as he fought the first fight,” said Tyson about Wilder fighting differently in the rematch with Fury.

Wilder is 34, still young, and capable of knocking out anybody in the division if he lands one of his shots flush. The problem that Wilder has had in his two fights against Fury is his difficulty hitting him. Fury uses a lot of head and upper body movement, and that makes it difficult for Wilder to land cleanly.

Wilder couldn’t reload after missing

There are ways of hitting Fury. We’ve seen that from fighters that reload quickly after a big miss, and they then nail Fury at close range. We saw that with Otto Wallin. Although he missed frequently with his shots, he was able to hit Fury with clubby shots on the inside.

The 6’6″ Wallin isn’t any more skilled than Wilder, but he knew how to fight in close after he’d miss with one of his long-range shots. Wladimir Klitschko had the same problem that Wilder. Klitschko didn’t have the inside game to land his shots after he’d miss one of his punches thrown from the outside.

Tyson: Deontay couldn’t rise to the occasion again

“The first fight, he fought with confidence like he could win,” said Tyson. “In this fight, he fought like he didn’t have no zest, no life in him. I don’t think he was the same fighter after the first fight.

“After the first fight, he couldn’t rise to the occasion again. No, there’s always a chance. Everyone always has a chance. It depends on how much he wants to give in to it. Does he want to dedicate his life to really winning the fight, then anything can happen,” said Tyson about Wilder.

Something went wrong with Wilder during the second fight with Fury, and he never did adjust. If Wilder can’t fix the mistakes he made in his rematch with Fury, then he’s not going to last long in the third fight. But he will make a lot of money, so it’s not all bad.

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