Deontay Wilder could be what the HW division needs

[TitoFan]

Sound ludicrous, but hear me out.

As much as we all poke fun at Deontay Wilder’s bloated record, it’s highly probably that he could very well be the one to revive interest in the heavyweight division. Arguments over whether “interest” should necessarily include the United States, or whether the rest of the world does just fine without U.S. interest, are older than the hills. But it can hardly be disputed that having U.S. interest in the heavyweight division is better, from a global standpoint, than not having it. So while Wladimir Klitschko continues his “chloroforming” reign over what is sadly a crappy division nowadays, the U.S. yawns… even if the rest of the world fawns over the highly-educated, always-in-shape, albeit boring Ukrainian fighter. We can argue that Wlad doesn’t need the U.S. fans, but it’s an empty argument. Again, more fans is always better than less fans. Besides, it can also be argued that most of the world’s boxers aspire to fight in the well-known “Mecca’s” of boxing, places like Las Vegas, Madison Square Garden, etc.

Enter Wilder. Yes, he has a bloated record. Yes, he is being brought along even slower than Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., early in his career… and that’s saying a lot. Yes, he’s raw, unpolished, with an as of yet untested chin. But he’s an American heavyweight (U.S. heavyweight is more correct, as American encompasses a whole continent). In addition, he’s a fearsome slugger, with one-punch KO power, the type the majority of the boxing fan masses love.

Somehow, Wilder has crept up the rankings, and is now one of three U.S. heavyweights in The Ring top 10 rankings (Jennings and Arreola being the others). Let’s discuss those others. Arreola is a retread, having been around the block more than a few times, and never actually achieved that stardom that some thought he would have. He can be exciting… but he’s always going to be second fiddle to the Klitschkos. Jennings? Yeah, he’s undefeated, but he also poses no danger to Wlad. He’s simply “one of the bunch”. No big deal. His latest fight was anything but memorable, not the kind of stuff people line up to watch.

So that leaves us Wilder. Earned or not, he’s at the top of the rankings (WBC, anyway). Now the ball is in his court. Well, him and his managers, I should say. Pre-season’s over. It’s time to start taking those leaps and bounds forward and start facing the best out there. Maybe, just maybe… Wilder can get enough true tests under his belt to challenge Wlad before Wlad gets too old and retires.

It would be a dream matchup, the type we haven’t had in quite a long time, to have a more polished Deontay (with some at least a couple of credible scalps on his record)… against the longtime champion. But whether we ever get to see this or not, I believe having a champion like Deontay would do a lot toward restoring more of a global interest in the heavyweight division.

[beenKOed]

Could be, might be. You are at Disney World, wishing upon a star. LOL
I hope he's the real deal, the shining light at the end of the heavyweight tunnel too, but we have to wait to find out.
Wilder is a mystery. He'll either continue to make it look easy, or have a couple of hard fought wins and gain some respect, or be exposed in a humiliating way.
Until he beats some quality opponents I suggest you stay calm. That's what I'm trying to do.😎

[TitoFan]

Calm?

Comatose is a more apt description to my state of mind regarding the HW's these days.

[superheavyrhun]

No doubt he's exciting to watch, and he's beaten some aging guys who once fought for a title, but he needs to be getting better opposition before we even mention a fight between him and the big guy.

I'd actually be quite interested seeing him fight Lucas Browne, they've got a bundle of KOs between them, and both hit very hard. Quick, exciting, and there will definitely by a chin test in there, unless its a KO with the first flurry. Povetkin or Charr could also be potential opponents to see if he can mix around the top-ish level.

[bradlee180]

I don't think he's The Truth...


He can fight well enough to earn a Top 10 ranking out of a talent pool of over a thousand licensed professional Heavyweight boxers, so that's an accomplishment in itself.

However, I don't think he's the guy to take the Mantle at all to become a dominant Heavyweight Champion though. He's not gonna deliver at that elite level despite all the hype.

Guys with the Goods are eager to get in there and start busting heads.
They want the fame, the recognition as the Big Dog, that they are The Man.
They're not content to lay back wasting their primes fighting pushovers for six f*<king years!


That Zelenoff stunt is Wilder's biggest claim-to-fame yet, and 28 year old Wilder hasn't fought a single guy with a pulse yet in 32 fights over 6 years!
Dead men all.

He'll be exposed worse than Michael Grant.

Good enough for Top 10, not elite Top 3.

Way she goes...

[superheavyrhun]

That Zelenoff stunt is Wilder's biggest claim-to-fame yet, and 28 year old Wilder hasn't fought a single guy with a pulse yet in 32 fights over 6 years!
Dead men all.

Bit harsh, I think Charlie Z showed more elusiveness than Audley Harrison did to be fair with him. I still think he'd put up a better challenge to Wlad than Shannon Briggs would at this stage.

[ykdadamaja]

If Wilder happens to beat Stiverne, odds are he ducks Jennings, Pulev, and is forced to fight Fury and begrudgingly gives a shot to Arreola only through ducking the other top names or just not being able to sell the other bums in the division.

[Master]

Wilder is the most explosive heavyweight we have ever had that no one is excited about in the history of the division.

What does that say about him?

[TitoFan]

I think his handlers get 100% of the blame. He'll never get the chance to polish his skills if his handlers don't start putting him in there with real contenders. But that's where the rankings might help nudge the process along. I would like think that even in a sport as corrupt and bewildering as boxing, a top ranking would force you to meet other top contenders. Then again, I'd like to think I'll win the Lottery next week, also.

[ykdadamaja]

I think his handlers get 100% of the blame. He'll never get the chance to polish his skills if his handlers don't start putting him in there with real contenders. But that's where the rankings might help nudge the process along. I would like think that even in a sport as corrupt and bewildering as boxing, a top ranking would force you to meet other top contenders. Then again, I'd like to think I'll win the Lottery next week, also.

It's our fault as fans because we trash the division so much. But, Wilder had already stepped in with Kelvin Price and Malik Scott- he trashed them. He also stepped in with a Liakovich, and old Liakovich, but he stepped in with him anyways.

He has stepped up his class of fighters. Just a bit. But what you want to do is see him in with a live guy you consider to be dangerous. Well, if you look at the division, there aren't many of them around. So, how long must he wait if title fights are there and no one wants them or has the marketability to seize them?

Everyone knows Wlad is the champ. If Wilder beats Stiverne the only thing he would do to himself is put a target on his back for a trinket that is meaningless in the eyes of Wlad.

But, I would like to see Wilder in with: Fury, Arreola, JENNINGS, Chisora or Wach. Just to see how he responds.

[TitoFan]

If Wilder happens to beat Stiverne, odds are he ducks Jennings, Pulev, and is forced to fight Fury and begrudgingly gives a shot to Arreola only through ducking the other top names or just not being able to sell the other bums in the division.

Although I wouldn't call it "ducking", that order would make some sense. First off, a victory over Stiverne (and I don't see any decision wins in Wilder's immediate future) would be a significant achievement. Boxing would at least raise an eyebrow. He's still a bit raw to face someone like Jennings, but Fury or Arreola would be logical next steps. Assuming he gets past those (I see no problem with visualizing a win over Fury), then Jennings and/or Pulev. I don't Wilder himself will be "ducking" anybody, as he certainly doesn't seem to lack for confidence. It's all in what his bumbling handlers cook up for him.

[TitoFan]

I think his handlers get 100% of the blame. He'll never get the chance to polish his skills if his handlers don't start putting him in there with real contenders. But that's where the rankings might help nudge the process along. I would like think that even in a sport as corrupt and bewildering as boxing, a top ranking would force you to meet other top contenders. Then again, I'd like to think I'll win the Lottery next week, also.

It's our fault as fans because we trash the division so much. But, Wilder had already stepped in with Kelvin Price and Malik Scott- he trashed them. He also stepped in with a Liakovich, and old Liakovich, but he stepped in with him anyways.

He has stepped up his class of fighters. Just a bit. But what you want to do is see him in with a live guy you consider to be dangerous. Well, if you look at the division, there aren't many of them around. So, how long must he wait if title fights are there and no one wants them or has the marketability to seize them?

Everyone knows Wlad is the champ. If Wilder beats Stiverne the only thing he would do to himself is put a target on his back for a trinket that is meaningless in the eyes of Wlad.

But, I would like to see Wilder in with: Fury, Arreola, JENNINGS, Chisora or Wach. Just to see how he responds.

It still pisses me off to think about the Malik Scott fight. Here was a chance for Wilder to show that he's trying to move up in opponent quality.... and Scott turns in that pitiful effort. To this day I don't think anyone can say for certain whether that was a legitimate KO, or whether Scott just decided to call it a day.

Regardless, I still think if only Wlad would hang around for 2-3 more years, we could still have a hell of a heavyweight event, the likes of which we haven't seen in years. That's assuming, of course, that Wilder doesn't fall on his face between here and there.

Still... it doesn't hurt to hope!

[beenKOed]

Wilder is the most explosive heavyweight we have ever had that no one is excited about in the history of the division.

What does that say about him?

It says, he makes it look too easy. When we see guys being taken out with single punches on a regular basis, it makes us think 'bum', 'cherry pick', or 'fix'.
So, I think it says more about us than about him, we've been 'sucked in' too many times and have become..skeptics.
If he keeps making it look too easy, I don't think he'll ever get the respect he could/might deserve. What I mean is his success would be attributed to the sorry state of the heavyweight division.

[TitoFan]

Wilder is the most explosive heavyweight we have ever had that no one is excited about in the history of the division.

What does that say about him?

It says, he makes it look too easy. When we see guys being taken out with single punches on a regular basis, it makes us think 'bum', 'cherry pick', or 'fix'.
So, I think it says more about us than about him, we've been 'sucked in' too many times and have become..skeptics.
If he keeps making it look too easy, I don't think he'll ever get the respect he could/might deserve. What I mean is his success would be attributed to the sorry state of the heavyweight division.

Interesting point. Agreed on the point of us boxing fans becoming skeptical.

It makes for some interesting speculations on how different scenarios would be received from a potential Wilder-Stiverne fight.... IF.... and when.... it ever happens.

(Scenario 1: Wilder KO's Stiverne early)
(Scenario 2: Wilder gets caught, loses to Stiverne by KO/TKO)
(Scenario 3: Fight somehow goes 12 rounds, ends in controversial decision (what else is new?))
(Scenario 4: For some reason, fight ends early (accidental headbutt, one of them is unable to continue, etc)


How would Scenario 1 be received? Would we then be convinced that Wilder is the future of HW boxing? Or would we dismiss Stiverne as just another bum?

How about Scenario 2? Would we dismiss Wilder as an overhyped bum who was finally exposed? Or would we merely say he just learned his first lesson in Boxing 101, and will rise again to challenge for a championship?

Scenario 3 would mostly likely never happen. I just don't see Wilder having enough gas to last through a 12-round fight. Hell... no one's ever taken him into the 5th round.

The skepticism in me feels Scenario 4 would be more than a 50/50 likelihood. Something always manages to go wrong, just when we're most anticipating a finally defining moment.

[Spicoli]

Did everyone miss Wilders last fight Honestly the division doesn't need heavyweights with more questions than answers or some American riding in on a white Pony to save it, what it needs are young talent willing to fight one another and earn credentials. Gavern got UP, as have many of Wilders lighter opponents when hit with his massively overstated "one punch power". Gavern was mocking him and yelling instructions FFS Sometimes it never even lands. Come on? How can a guy like Jennings be so easily dismissed while taking risks, fighting and beating contenders, having questions asked but prevailing...and Wilder being hailed as a sensation or some beast while fighting absolutely no one, hardly if at all being pressed or caught clean in adversity and having sparring partners and stunt men served on a platter. HOW is that exciting? Its just all backwards for me. Jennings has shown me more in his last 4,5 fights than Wilder has over 10 or 15, seriously.

You have to step up to rise above, and Wilder has been an exercise in mediocrity and manufacturing if I'm honest. You gotta demand more man and look beyond the packaging and plastic keys being waved in out faces.