Deontay Wilder

Big guy. Can punch. Is athletic.

 

He's big, strong, hits hard and is in good shape. Has won all of his fights too. Also showed a lot of class in expressing concern for his fallen opponent last night. But I fear that he still has a lot of flaws in his game that at least five or six of the current top heavyweights could expose. He looked like he was gassing early last night. He was flustered and bewildered by Szpilka at times and even rocked.. His defense is average at best as is his speed and generalship.. He was fortunate to land that knockout punch when he did because at one point I honestly thought he was going to lose.. Alexander povetkin is apparently his mandatory and I think he might have beaten wilder had he been in there in place of szpilka..

 

It is often the case that you are not sold on the overall package, but you are sold on the power.

This is such a case.

As for his eventual position in the pantheon of heavyweights, who can say?

He might win the lineal title, or he might disappear into obscurity.

 

He's powerful and athletic.

He's not the outstanding contender right now though.

There's a very clear top 3 in Fury, Wlad, Povetkin. Wilder is no better than Luis Ortiz, Joshua or Haye. Not from what I've seen so far anyways.

It might be that he goes on to justify the hype and shows more facets as and when he needs them, but right now I'm not overly impressed.

Let's have it right all he's really done is defeat Scott, Stiverne and Spilka. Stiverne was only ranked by virtue of twice beating Arreola so Wilder's standing is artificially inflated by a paper belt. He's no more a champion than Chagaev or Charles Martin.

Who will I compare him to from the past? Michael Grant is a good comparison for now, a hard hitting unbeaten top contender.

 

He's a good, hard-hitting, athletic boxer-puncher who has done a pretty good job of tightening up his technique in recent fights. He's fun to watch, too. Hype or hatred notwithstanding, he's a solid contender whose career progress will be interesting to follow from this point forward.

 

The bottom line.

 

He can sure hit .. almost Bob Foster ( at light heavy) type explosiveness .. he's in shape and has some natural gifts .. I can't tell anything else except he looks wild ...

 

Wilder vs Joe Frazier.

Timber !!!!!!

 

I thought he looked pretty bad, actually! Some very awkward, amateurish moves... like throwing both arms high up in the air when jumping backwards to avoid an attack. What the **** is that?

That being said, he's obviously more than just a big, slow lummox. He's athletic, mobile and pretty fast... and I suspect his size, reach and power might have troubled a lot of former champions. Will he get much better than he already is? Who knows... we'll have to wait and see.

By the way... what did you guys think of the other Pole on the undercard, Adam Kownacki? He actually impressed me a whole lot more than Wilder! The way he stood right in front of his opponent and just let the punches fly! Hooks, uppercuts from both hands, switching from head to body and back up again... it all looked so natural. Yes, I know his opponent wasn't much, and I'm not saying he will become a great, or even a force to be reckoned with at top level... but I kind of liked what I saw last night!

 

Better power and physical gifts than the guys you've listed. Not saying I would bet on him but I think he has the physical talent to upset and knock out most pre-Tyson champions.

 

I'm sure we can both think of some of the weaker ones that he might have beaten. But I wouldn't get too carried away. Artur Szpilka exploited a lot of weaknesses last night that a good number of past fighters could have exposed and some of them weren't even ATGs or lineal champions.

 

I don't!

 

No, I'm afraid not. But if not already up on YouTube, I guess it will be soon.