Deontay Wilder needs to become a 4-round fighter

Deontay Wilder has to make some serious decisions about the style he will use for the remainder of his career. His flaws are plain to see, and have been for the majority of his career. He's known what he needs to work on to improve his overall game for a decade, and hasn't done it. Wilder just can't move like that. While what I'm about to propose may sound like madness, what does suggesting that a 35 year old "work on fundamentals" sound like?

Wilder will be at least 35 years old for his next fight. This is a fantastic age for a heavyweight, and Wilder hasn't taken much damage in his career. It is, however, way too late to "learn footwork". Deontay needs to spend the rest of his time in the sport emphasizing what he already does well. There is no one in the top 5 that he can outbox, no matter how he trains.

If I were training Deontay for a top 5 opponent, the plan would be to go in guns blazing from round 1. It is essential that he remains on the front foot. He cannot fight going backwards in anything other than first gear. With the power Wilder has it is crucial that he sets the tone of the fight immediately, or future opponents will attempt the Fury steamroll blueprint (easier said than done, but still effective). Every fighter in the top 5 not named Fury is very hittable for Wilder.

The sniper style Wilder has employed for most of his career may work against Parker, but everyone else knows how to nullify it now. Surprising opponents with aggressive bombs out of the gate and a high output is his best chance of success moving forward.

 

This is my point. He's going to be 35 next time he fights. People have been saying he just needs to iron some stuff out for 7 or 8 years now. It's not gonna happen. His feet are only going to slow down with age. He's gotta BombZquad opponents out early from now on.