Re: If you trained AJ..or Wilder?
I agree with those that said AJ,s defense is a little lacking. I think he has the tools, but its the execution that's a little slow rolling. Watching his fight. I see.. that he either stays out of range looking for a shot to counter or shuffling in with his hands high looking to maul you with combos. It's not a bad plan of action as you don't have many fleet footed heavyweights that would slip out and use angles on you. Still if he was stronger and pivoting, using defense to set up offense, and setting traps, he would do himself the favor of creating opportunities and conserving his energy to preserve his stamina. A good fighter know hows to attack and how to defend. A better fighter also knows when....
As for wilder, They need to fix his feet. Yes hes long and athletic. But ever notice how with the exception of that straight right hand, his length tends to get in his way and makes him awkward. A pet peeve of mine has always been tall fighters that fought short (Corrales, Paul Williams) . Their exciting but the physics of the situation is working against them every time. If you're tall and you're hook happy, your just opening every window of opportunity in the house. A guy with a side step that covers more ground than most opponents reach should be a Ghost by the time the punches are coming in. Plus the benefit of having a reach that would allow you to throw counters after those misses should be golden. But his legs get tangled up so he turns his back sometimes and runs away to retreat. His hooks wind up as slapping door knockers at times. His stance is too wide on his punches and leaves him in awkward positions to defend from. He sometimes forgets the difference between a swing and a punch. For wilder, hes been doing these things for so long without being corrected that fixing them now would take time and discipline that i'm afraid, he doesn't have because hes too busy trying to build his brand.
They want your @$$ beat because upsets make news. News brings about excitement, excitement brings about ratings. The objective is to bring you up to the tower and tear your @$$ down. And if you don't believe that, you're crazy.
Roy Jones, Jr. "What I've Learned," Esquire 2003
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