Deontay Wilder vs Joe Frazier

I respectfully disagree with the last sentence, but I also think Frazier would chop him down, after going down once or even twice himself. Frazier had a way of dusting himself off, and I think (unlike Foreman) that would freek Deontay out. Wilder was pretty flummoxed watching Fury get back up.

 

legacy wise Frazier towers over Wilder and unless Deontay does something incredible within the next two years may always do so. But physically and stylistically This is a bad matchup for him. For a reference, George Foreman’s record was as heavily padded as wilders when he went in the ring with Joe and positively destroyed him. And Foreman didn’t have nearly as much height on Frazier as Wilder would. The bigger Joe’s opponents got the more he struggled. And Wilder can punch harder than probably 98% of any heavyweight.

 

Wilder had a lot more heart than people give him credit for. He was behind on points against Fury and managed to score two knockdowns late. He was behind in both fights against Ortiz and taking some very hard shots to the head but managed to get two come from behind KO’s. Wilder’s chin, Heart and stamina are underrated.

 

If he kos Fury in sensational fashion, that number might turn to 100.

 

I have to wonder how much money this forum would've lost betting on Frazier vs Foreman because they think resumes and legacies fight the fights.

Fighters lose to guys they're greater than routinely precisely because styles make fights.

 

I already have him up there as one of the top 3 hardest hitters of all time.

 

Exactly. No way in 1988 would I have put money on Iran Barkley to beat Hearns and in fact I even favored Hearns in their later rematch and he lost again !!!

 

Absolutely, Foreman and Shavers...he's right there with them. I daresay his right hand is second only to Shavers...and I wouldn't doubt if he ends up superseding that assertion in the future.

 

This is a tough fight to pick. Wilder does not have the resume to really be able to know how he would do. This level of competition is higher than what he is used to fighting. What do we know about him against top guys? Not much. And the question I have about Frazier is how small he was compared to today's heavyweights. Yet, he went in against bigger guys and broke them down. Frazier would probably put the pressure on Wilder and stop him in a few rounds but he would have to be careful of Wilder's power which is good and fast.

 

I totally agree, Joe did beat taller fighters, remember Mando Ramos, in 1968, the heavyweight from Mexico. Wilder is good, but need more proof against youthful adversaries, not nursing home residents, or tomato cans.

 

No one on Frazier's list is even remotely close to Wilder's height and reach (Unless you can name someone because I can't find one).

 

I think Wilder would time Frazier with a right hand at some point and that would be that.

 

Some people like to pretend that Buster Mathis was a modern superheavy.

 

But wasn't he a very big man? Not sure.

 

He was a fat guy with limited power and stamina. I'm trying to think of a comparison. He was kind of like Nate Tubbs or Lawrence Clay Bey.