Agree on your second point. He has achieved things in the sport and that should be respected. First point isn't established due to his patchy resume. He's been a champion for years but the second Fury fight was the first time he defended against a prime top ranked HW. Even then it was only after he first un succesfully tried to get Fury on his resume when he was fat and washed up. Other than that who has he faced? Two wins against an old and himself largely unproven Ortiz. Then? ...Tumbleweeds.... The lack of respect comes from the massive and often unacknowledged disconnect between the hype and the reality. The hype is that this is the baddest man on the planet with an amazing record of knockouts. The reality is that he's been very carefully matched, with a series of hyped up second rate opponents suddenly elevated in WBC rankings. Kownacki would've been the next one before his cherry pick turned sour. I agree Fury's the current number one. What we don't know is if it really takes Fury's skillset to beat Wilder or if any of the leading guys who are still in their prime could do it. We don't know because he never faced them.
What? It didn't take Fury long to short circuit Wilder. Let's not make it out like Wilder pounded on Fury and ran out of gas late. Foreman had a good chin, Wilder doesn't. Comparing Wilder to Foreman? SMH. Fury vs. Wilder 2 was a beat down. Wilder's team carefully picks picks opponents who were often much older, shorter, or simply not very good with moderate punchers chance at best ( he avoided punchers ) days are over. He's not going to have guys in awe of his power; rather his opponents will be emboldened to attack and likely will KO him...provided he fights a top 10 opponent or a legitimate up and comer who can box and punch.
He'll be 35 in a few months, what has he proven bedsides beating " B " fighters or very old fighters? Wilder has been exposed in victory vs. these B level fighter more than once, and all of them were carefully selected to be not big punchers. A few examples of struggling vs. B level guys, none of whom remotely deserved a title shot: Molina, shakes Wilder up. Wilder needs 9 rounds to beat him. Taken out in 3 by Joshua and Hrgovic, and KO'd another time by Breazeale in 8. Not a good performance for an " A " Level boxer, but Wilder isn't an A level heavyweight. He's got A power, B level skills and a C level chin. Szpilka. Wilder was even on the cards vs. Szpilka. Who? How did Szpika get a title shot? Who did he beat? Another joke. Wilder who had trouble landed a bomb last to seal the victory. Szpilka has since been stopped by Kownacki in 4 rounds, and Chisoria in 2 rounds! Washington. The same old story of belt milking for a title shot vs. a non-top 20 guy...Washington was the better boxer here. About even on the cards until Wilder landed his bomb, which usually happens when the other guy doesn't engage or pressure Wilder, allowing him to land his long wind up punch. As you might have guessed, Washington was KO'd 3 times after this, losing in 2 quick rounds to Kownacki. Based on Kownacki beating Molina and Washington MUCH easier than Wilder did, he would be a good opponent for Wilder next, but I doubt his team would risk that fight! An "A" level fighter mops the floor with these type of opponents, hardly losing a round in the process. Wilder isn't " A " Level. He's a very well managed B level fighter, who has A level power and must pick opponents carefully thanks to a C level chin. There you have it.
Deontay proved he has plenty of knock out power in his right hand. If there was a Hall Of Fame for punchers in boxing, he IMO definitely deserves to be inducted. I don't think his resume is as good as AJs but he still knocked out a decent name like Luis Ortiz and dropped Fury twice. Wilder can knock Joshua out with that right. Unfortunately for Wilder, all he really has is that right hand KO and thats what he's proven.
In my opinion after Joshua and fury everyone is more kress equal. I don't see anything separating Ortiz from Whyte from Ruiz or Parker. Just a bunch of guys
I don't think that Shpilka or Molina are B level fighter, maybe C at best. The only B level fighters he fought are Ortiz and Stevern in the first fight.
