If he is good enough to pull off the win then I don't see how it is a bad thing. If he beats Wilder he is better than him and thus an upgrade. And his level of competition could likely only improve over wilder's (or on par with it).
A Washington win would be good for boxing. Wilder will be fighting his 5th voluntary title defense against another wino, but a wino is better that that cheat. It's time for Wilder to fight someone who can fight back!
So what if a ex Footballer got a strap, It might start invigorating the USA HW scene again....and that isnt' bad for boxing.
wilder really isn't a "name". if washington beats him, almost none of the general public will even know.
With all respect to the thread, Washington winning would only be bad for Wilder obviously. Boxing will carry on whether it paves way for footballers or not. Washington winning would probably be the biggest heavyweight upset since Tyson/Douglas. No one will care about hypothetical implications.
I believe that if you have the natural physical traits and the heart and grit to go with that (which is incidentally indicated from an American football career), it wouldn't take 'decades' at all to become a good boxer. I think people can become at least a good boxer within a couple of years. Once you learn the trade properly and are accustomed to using your brain in the ring, there's nothing really stopping you. Wilder held his belt hostage, it would be a great thing if he was exposed. We don't need any more Wilder's, they're ruining the sport.
Well I don't see either of them becoming world champion, so does not really matter if Wilder losses. If Wilder losses it will help idiots that think he has elite boxing skills develop some common sense. Wilder is one of the big guys with sub standard boxing ability as soon as he fights Haye, Povetkin, Pulev, Fury's, Parker, Wladimir, Ortiz, or Joshua he losses badly.
The thing is that Washingon doesn't even have the physical traits, that's why he got cut by multiple NFL teams. The guy is slow as hell.
Wilder losing would actually be potentially beneficial to boxing for a number of reasons. But first to address your points. 1. Completely irrelevant to anything, anywhere. Washington's success might actually prompt failed athletes from other sports to try their hand at boxing, potentially deepening the talent pool. How is that a bad thing? Wilder started boxing in his mid twenties after a failed basketball career and is now a beltholder less than a decade after turning pro. He might suck balls, but he's what we have now, so Washington winning isn't going to change that dynamic. And please, damaging to the image of the sport? This is boxing bro. It doesn't have any more image to destroy. 2. Wilder isn't a legitimate anything, and the continued threads ridiculing him and his every move is proof positive of that. He's only become a name among boxing fans as the byline of a joke. Among the more casual fanbase he might as well be feasting on bums in Alabama for all the notice he gets. 3. Agreed, but if Washington beats Wilder then that fight was only ever going to go one way as well. Better to know beforehand than building your hopes up. 4. Again agreed, but see point above. Boxing isn't the WWE, and a fight needs to be genuinely competitive to justify genuine fan interest. Otherwise you just get Bellew v Haye. Now, assuming Washington wins, here's what it does: - gives us a fresh face - potentially stops the farcical defences - potentially puts unification one step closer - stops the unending BS from fans and Wilder himself - maybe, just maybe humbles Wilder enough to become a decent addition to the division itself I don't see too many downsides personally.