"I Didn't Feel Wilder's Power" - Zhilei Zhang

Good thing I never argued who would win in a prime for prime scenario.

 

He didn’t feel the power of boxing’s hardest puncher of all time? How is that possible?

 

People have been mentioning Wilder’s inactive style since at least Ortiz 2. Where he did next to nothing except for the KO. It was cool then, because he was getting the KOs (or KDs in the case of his fights vs Fury). Now he tries the same thing against higher level opposition and isn’t getting the KOs, and is thus “shot”.

He seems to have changed his style a bit since nearly getting KO’d by Ortiz, which coincidentally was the same punch Zhang flatted him with. Difference being that Zhanh is about three times the size and power of Ortiz, or no, it’s because Wilder is “shot”.

 

He started fighting wild in the 5th round and immediately got stopped

 

Wasn't specifically aimed at you, so perhaps a bit unfair to have it in the reply to you.

Yeah, we definitely have to disagree. I don't in anyway feel I see a different fighter when I watch the Ortiz fights.

Don't agree with you that much that Wilder looked better in the Fury fights either. In the the second, where Fury was fully dialled in he didn't give Wilder a single look in and bulldozed him in a way that neither Parker nor Zhang did.

In the first Fury was still recovering from his lay-off and gave Wilder too much time and space so he could have his two moments, which was all he had. Parker and Zhang had clearly learned from the adaption Fury made in the second and was very diligent in keeping him on the back foot throughout.

In the third Fury didn't look in much better shape than he did against Ngannou tbh. So Ngannou quite arguably did better against Fury than Wilder did. That should tell us something.

 

It really is as simple as this. Had that been Zhang instead of Ortiz, Wilder would have been laid out and his career would have looked very different.

Hell, had the ref not inexplicably given Wilder 15 extra seconds of rest Ortiz might have finished the job himself.

That is the prime Wilder people here go on about. Someone who just scraped by Ortiz with help from the ref.

In the rematch he took very few chances, as you say, and let Ortiz sweep the rounds until he found his spot. But to expect that formula to work every time just because it worked that time against 40-year olde Ortiz is a bit too hopeful.

 

All good mate.

Fury didn't bulldoze Wilder with the ease many attribute to him in that second fight. He had a huge knot on his temple. "I have a big lump on my temple here, I don't know what's gone on with it - it's come right out. I had to overcome a lot in this fight"
So Wilder was more successful against a better fighter than he was against Zhang and Parker.

With Wilder I sit in the middle.

I think his record during his reign was abysmal, and he's not the H2H monster his fans make him out to be.

On the other hand, I don't think his performances against Parker and Zhang are representative of a prime Wilder. It's clear to me at least he's not the same fighter. This was apparent to most who watched the fight as well.

"Wilder doesn't look at all like the Wilder of old."

https://sports.yahoo.com/live/zhile...f-queensberry-vs-matchroom-5v5-180718964.html

As for Wilder, the former WBC champion appears to have reached the end of the road as a serious contender and has now twice fought like a man who has reached the end of his time as a professional fighter. The punch output isn't there and Wilder is visibly struggling to throw the power shots that led him to the top of the game and kept him world champion for five years.

After admitting he struggled to pull the trigger against Parker, Wilder promised that he'd regained the fire that made him so dangerous but that was not on display against Zhang.
https://www.cbssports.com/boxing/ne...e-heavyweight-scores-brutal-tko-for-win/live/

 

Them teaching him proper technique messed him up

 

Surely, Fury 2 was the most Wilder ever has been dominated in a fight. I can't see how that can up for debate.

So comparing like for like, i e facing Wilder in top shape and with the right game plan, Fury did better against him than Parker and Zhang.

If we're going to use the third, we also have to revaluate how well Ngannou did against Fury. Poor shape can't just be used for one of them.

And this output he used to have - where is it in Ortiz 2? Where is it in any of his fight since Ortiz 1, when he was countered and nearly KO'd? Not that he did that much even in Ortiz 1.

 

Anyone who's watched him with a clear head can see post Fury he isn't the same. His punch resistance is zero now any puncher that can crack even at a mid level will probably knock out this version of Deontay. And if he doesn't hang em up soon he's gonna end up punchy.