By Matt Lieberman: Tim Bradley has looked at some of Deontay Wilder’s training video of him working out with new coach Malik Scott, and he believes he’s making a mistake if he’s assuming he can outbox Tyson Fury in their trilogy match on July 24th.
In the workout videos with trainer Malik, the former WBC heavyweight champion Wilder has been showing a lot of movement and punches to the body. Bradley doesn’t see that as something that will work for Wilder (42-1-1, 41 KOs) against Fury.
Wilder’s chances of outboxing Fury in their trilogy fight on July 24th are virtually nonexistent, according to Bradley. Moreover, Wilder’s right loses power when he’s backing up, as we saw in his second fight against Fury in 2020.
Wilder had no power on his shots when Fury had him on his heels, fighting off the ropes. To beat goliath, Wilder must pelt him with right hands and not retreat from the 270+ lb behemoth.
As a result, Bradley feels that the only thing that has any chance of working for Wilder is for him to come forward nonstop, looking to nail Fury with his right hands.
If Wilder backs up against Fury or if he tries to box him, he has very little chance of winning.
It’s interesting that Malik can’t see for himself that Wilder’s power is reduced when he’s moving around the ring.
You would think that the former heavyweight contender Scott could see that Wilder is going to be ineffective if he’s moving around the ring, trying to box the more mobile Fury. That’s playing into the British fighter’s hands if Wilder does that.
Bradley: Wilder must take the fight to Fury
“You got to give him chances because he can punch,” said Tim Bradley to Fighthype when asked what chance he gives Wilder to beat Fury in their trilogy match.
“What with Deontay Wilder I honestly don’t get is, you’ve been fighting one way your whole career, and you’re trying to sharpen your tools, as you should.
“We’re talking about working on fundamentals, we’re talking about working on mechanics, working on technique, which is all good things.
“I’ve been watching videos of him training and stuff, and I’ve been seeing him moving, thinking and stuff, I understand it. But if you’re trying to out-box Tyson Fury, that ain’t going to work.
“Don’t sit here and try and outbox him. Take it to Tyson Fury, that’s what you need to do,” said Bradley.
Hopefully, Wilder comes to his senses and figures out that he’s not going to beat Fury going backward all night because that won’t work.
It’s too bad that Wilder can’t have Bradley help him prepare for the Fury rematch, considering he sounds he understands what he needs to do for him to get the victory in this fight.
For Wilder to be trying to tinker with his fighting style this late in his career, it’s a bad idea. What brought Wilder this far is his punching power, and being aggressive.
It’s a mistake obviously for Wilder to try and change that for an important fight against a pure boxer like Fury.
You can argue that it’s pure lunacy on Wilder’s part, and he needs to think about dumping Malik Scott before it’s too late.
Deontay must come forward, says Bradley
“Keep your technique, come behind your jab, keep your fundamentals and bring it to him because your right hand is effective when you’re coming forward,” Bradley said about Wilder.
“You’re right hand is not effective when you’re moving backward, when you’re put on your heels. Tyson Fury is going to try and put him on his heels again.
“If he [Wilder] can be more disciplined with his jab, shooting it not only to the head, but shooting it to the chest [of Fury].
“Shoot it to the body, change levels on him. Not just to the head, to the chest, and the body. Flick the jab out there, get him [Fury] to react to it.
“He [Deontay] needs to adopt some of these tools, but be your damn self, come get him!
“And the more you let that right hand go, the better chances you have of catching Tyson Fury. So, he’s got a puncher’s chance, once again, a puncher’s chance.
“Psychologically, is he over that knockout loss, can he deal with those emotions in the ring?
“It’s another thing he has to overcome. It’s hard to erase those tragic emotions that come in your career.
“I’m pretty sure he’s still dreaming of those moments,” said Bradley.
Given Wilder’s track record of holding onto trainers for years and years, it’s unlikely that he’ll give Malik the boot in favor of a new coach that has better sound ideas for his rematch with Fury.
