In this reality; we've already seen peak Wilder IMO, against Stiverne. Since then he has regressed. He has an OK jab, a mean right hand, no hook or uppercut game to speak of and terrible footwork and defence. He is this way because he came around in a weak era for the division and has a team behind him that has prevented him from challenging himself or improving via a series of **** poor voluntary defences. He's been so protected and under-stimulated that he's never had to learn, improve or adapt. He could get new management, increase his level of opposition and turn into a better fighter, but I don't think this is likely to happen. Instead he will cash out against Joshua and most likely lose. I will say this for him though; if you had a time machine and gave a 10 year old Wilder and a 10 year old Joshua to Manny Steward, I believe Wilder would have gone further.
Wilder has many elements that could add up to greatness. His dimensions are great, his power is thunderous. He has flair for showmanship. Unfortunately this is all offset by his inexplicable failure to improve his skills. Fairly average fighters have made him look like garbage and it's not as if he can't afford a good gym or trainer. There was a flicker of hope at one time when he was developing a jab and some footwork. But TambourineMan is right. He's regressed. Washington punished his ass for four rounds with what amounted to a decent jab. Szpilka outboxed him and Duhaupas (who has pretty average skills coupled with durability) made him look like he was mugged. Wilder's big trump card is his power and I feel there's a reason that he keeps fighting C and b stringers. He knows that if he steps it up one day there will be a guy that will either outbox him (Fury) or work him over on the inside (Povetkin) or simply test his suspect chin and find it wanting (Joshua). Is it cowardice that keeps him from becoming more than he is? Or is he just in a comfortable space and too damn lazy to step it up? Only Wilder can answer that.
Why would he have gone further than Joshua? What natural gifts has he got that a better fighter like AJ hasn`t got? The one argument you might have is that AJ has a very good trainer in former boxer Robert McCracken if they both started training with McCracken at the same time though I just don`t see what Wilder would bring to the table that AJ doesn`t! Better under fire?!
Lighter/quicker on his feet, far better stamina and a slight reach advantage. Possibly faster hand speed and one punch power too (considering he's 20-30lbs lighter than Joshua).
Exactly. Wilder is a limited fighter with a glass jaw whose punching power is overestimated. He's a KO waiting to happen, nothing more.
Hes basically at the end of his rope bc if he hasnt improved from 2014 . How could he improve? Well he has to get an entire new team and he HIMSELF has to want to improve but he knows it all so he says so and all's he needs is his big right hand not skill. The answer is not much what you see is what you will get from here on in. lol
He fought Jason Gavern in his 32 th pro fight, his best win and toughest fight Szpilka was knocked out within 4 rounds against an overweight business student from NY, every real opponent he has to face gets caught under mysterious circumstances for "banned substances". That's how good he is.