He's been totally mismanaged and it all comes down to his team underestimating Tyson Fury. He could've made 100 million dollars on DAZN and IMO, he would've had a great chance of beating AJ. He punches harder than AJ and has a better chin + heart than him. I'd still back him to beat AJ to be honest. It's an awful stylistic matchup for AJ. Instead they went with Fury thinking he'd get the KO and he was beaten to a pulp. He'll likely never fight AJ now and if he does, he'll get a 20% cut if even. To make matters worse, Shelley knows he has one last cash out v Fury - a fight he shouldn't go near - and that will be the end of him after another beating. We're seeing the inevitable criticism of his whole career and ability by AJ fans but I'll tell you something, unlike AJ, the man has no quit in him and he was undoubtedly a worthy champion and although the resume is light, he annihilated guys AJ gets credit for beating and beat a quality opponent in Ortiz twice. It took the best man in the division to dethrone him.
I take my hat off to Wilder really. A great guy (imo), great champion, and prepared to fight Fury. There's no failure in being top three heavyweight on planet earth and having tens of millions in the bank. He's 34 now.
His CV before he met Fury is very reminiscent of Michael Grant’s before Lewis beat him. Lots of stoppages but desperately short on quality opposition which lead to him being brutally exposed. He had his chance to prove to everyone how much better he was than AJ when he had that offer on the table but he ducked it in favour of fighting the likes of Breazeale and Ortiz (again) before ultimately being humiliated by Fury. If you’ve had 44 fights, spent five years as world champion, and your best wins are Ortiz, Ortiz, Breazeale, Stiverne and Molina then you’ve proved very little. If that’s the end of Wilder I’d rank him somewhere beneath Michael Moorer, John Ruiz and David Tua.
Unlike Anthony Joshua who was humiliated by the Fat Little Pudding who broke his heart, Wilder's heart and desire to win never left him for a second last night and would have fought until he was carried out the ring. Wilder is a warrior who went out on his shield and a credit to the sport for taking on the best boxther on the planet.
Wilder took an unmerciful seven round beating off a 270 pound ATG and lambasted his corner for pulling him out despite bleeding badly from nose, mouth and ear while exhausted. AJ took a seven round beating off an obese midget heavyweight and quit. That's the difference.
I genuinely believe they,ve managed wilder terrificly well. All the way up to fury. And It was almost a masterstroke getting fury in instead of joshua. Most men would be finished after what fury put his body through. They thought he was. Tbh watching his comeback fights fury did look finished. I think wilders very dangerous to joshua. But always felt joshua would have bullied wilder back like fury did last night. Just not as well. Wilders big problem is hes just not big enough naturally...weight wise. And he relies on being the longer reached fighter to much. Hes turned out to be a good fighter wilder....but that was always his kryptonite. Said on here joshua would have bullied wilder. Although wilder went out on his shield....his hearts fantastic. When the tables we,re turned on him last night he fought scared. Always thought it would happen eventually. Fury too big and naturally strong for him. Cant say its not a huge win tho. Put the final naysayers to bed regarding fury. Wilder is a great fighter regardless. He was the most dangerous man in the division. And probably the second or third best fighter in the division. Not only beating him was a grest achievement ...the manner in which fury done it was fantastic. Just one more challenge for fury now before he completes the game in joshua. Got a feeling that will be a harder fight....furys got to be favourite tho. Still shocked he went for it last night from the off and backed wilder up from the get go. Wilder was still dangerous till fury beat the fight out of him in the third.
This. I don't get as a fan of boxing how you can't respect both fighters after last night. I've been a fan of both Fury and Wilder for years and that won't change. 2 fantastic fights they gave us. Wilder took that beating like a man. Fury looked incredible. I woke the kids and misses up for this and they loved it! I always get the kids to pick a round and bet a pound on it. My youngest daughter picked Fury to win in round 7, was a massive 40/1 she was so chuffed bless her lol.
I’ve always felt Joshua would counter one of Wilder’s swings in the first 2/3 rounds, hurt him, and then go straight through him, even after the Ruiz loss. It would have come down to who lands the first big shot and Joshua with the better technique and timing would be the favourite to do that. On the one hand Wilder has been managed well, to even become a champ in the first place and then to have multiple defences, but it would’ve been better for him to lose his belt for $100m than for less than half of that.
It's all good and well saying this in hindsight but a year or so again Fury would rightly been seen as the easier fight for the money.
AJ changed his style up and in the rematch ruiz couldnt touch him Can wilder do the same to fury? Lol That's the difference one is an elite olympic level boxer the other an elite level basketball player who can throw a straight right. He's got heart and decent chin but he went down twice himself
I think as a team Haymon and Finkel have done a Brilliant job to get such a limited fighter with powerful overhand right that he signatures and you can see coming from miles away, to be so hyped up bybthe media. Wilder is effectively a less technical Chisora with a questionable chinn. So for a fighter of that level to become a WC and fight a bunch of fighters the level of Stiverne, Spzilka, Washington, Arreola, Ortiz Molina, Duhaupas and Breazeale (rematches too!) Its amazing how they got away with it to be honest. Wilder, Haymon and Finkel are looking bloody stupid for turning down that $120m offer.
He changed his style yes but Ruiz was a 185 pound 6 foot 2 mess of a man. AJ wouldn't have got away with that against a lot of fighters. I know AJ is a much better boxer than Wilder but stylistically I think Wilder is all wrong for him. Great chin, lots of heart, long leavers leavers and a dynamite right hand. AJ was scared to engage Andy Ruiz, he's hardly going to be confident trading with Wilder? And if he runs from Wilder he'll be caught eventually. He's not got the head movement to stay away from Wilder for 12.
I agree if Joshua fights afraid and trys to out box wilder it will end up like wilder fury 1. But AJ probably won't get up. If he fights him like he has fought most of his career then he would make short work of him. Wilder is an easy nights work for AJ I would say AJ is a stylistic nightmare for wilder a come forward pressure fighter with knockout power. Wilder doesn't have a prayer.
