Quote Originally Posted by Fenster View Post
I don't buy the location thing, Wilder has fought three of his last 4 fights in New York and won his "world" title in Vegas. He's been promoted by Golden Boy, connected to King and in recent years Al Haymon (all huge outfits). He gets the highest non-PPV TV ratings in the States.

More likely the American public/media have never bought into him because he's never been seen as the genuine worlds best like Tyson and Holyfield and Bowe (to a lesser extent were).

1. Wilder has existed in first the Wlad era and now the AJ one.

2. Tyson and Holyfield blitzed to "world" champion in under two years as a pro, Wilder took 7 years and 30+ fights to pick up a trinket.

Imagine if he'd dethroned Klitschko a few years into his career, he'd have become massive, now he needs to dethrone Joshua. However, as his TV rating prove, he's not half the no-name made out, just in a totally different climate to the past.
True enough but it's the entire package and previous lack of 'big' stage. Those early GBP cards were basically in the dark. Also doesn't help that 2 of his last 4 were against late replacement opponents. Truth is fans remember the glory and you just cannot really duplicate the previous eras depth, what they did with Wilder instead of barging into the house and trying for an older scalp for name-exposure purposes or roll the dice early in career with a Wlad (not like Wlad should of or needed to then) they kept Wilder low key and comfortable. Almost like a career cold start now that he has been nearly lapped by AJ in the heavyweight-fan picture and his closest shot at connection to Wlad now is beating the unretired guy who already beat him. And not fighting ,yet, AJ who also knocked the stuffing out of Wlad. Wilder and people didn't really put in the work. Skill or promotion wise imo.