Is Wilder the most significant American heavyweight since a pre-Byrd Holyfield?

Yes and no, he’s certainly iconic and possess legendary power. He lacks the resume to be separated from some of the other guys on the list however, who have better wins/deeper resumes than him.

 

I put Andy ruiz because for a brief moment in time it felt like he was an actual crossover star. Obviously short lived

 

Could be rahman since he won the title from Lennox while boxing was a much more popular sport

Brewster may fit that bill and he was featured on HBO and SHO

 

Had to vote yes. Amazing.

Depressing list.

 

What’s funny about this list is Rahman, Ruiz Jr, John Ruiz, Toney, Brewster, and Byrd all have beaten better opponents than Wilder. Goes to show how weak his resume is and how poor the American heavyweight scene has been for years.

 

Agree completely. Wilder basically takes it due to holding that WBC belt for all those years, and his spectacular KOs. It's a pity that that's all it takes to have the profile he has. And that's there's no-one on the horizon in the to really make big waves after him.

 

Clearly, yes.

Deontay Wilder is one of the most successful heavyweight champions in boxing history.

Five-year reign. 10 successful heavyweight title defenses. 43 wins. 42 knockouts. Only lost to one person, who is an unbeaten world champion (and who Wilder also successfully defended against the first time around.)

Not to mention US Amateur champion. National Golden Gloves champion. Olympic Bronze medalist. (And there aren't going to be any Olympic medalists in boxing any more, unless it becomes an Olympic sport again.)

No one on that list (or in the foreseeable future) comes close.

Greatest American heavyweight of the 21st century.

 

Yes, by far, which puts into perspective how far the sport has fallen in the U.S. I'm a Wilder fan and have loved watching his fights, but at no point has he had a plausible case as No. 1 in the division.

Not going to get better any time soon. I'm not buying Anderson or Torrez, either.

 

Yet Luis Ortiz turned down 7 million to fight AJ when he had the chance to fight for all the belts. He had one good performance against Jennings, and then popped dirty for steroids and never looked nearly as good. He laboured to wins over Scott, Allen, Kauffman, Hammer, struggled with the absolutely useless Charles Martin. You are basing your entire opinion of perceived avoidance rather than accepting the reality; Ortiz and his team brought a lot of this on themselves, they ruined his best career opportunities.

I think multiple guys on the list would have beaten Ortiz, who you are hyping up with 0 evidence to support your pro-Wilder and Fury agenda. Ortiz was a good heavyweight, he was never great. The version of Ortiz that Wilder fought would not have battered Holyfield, he couldn't even batter Kauffman for pete sake.

 

Have to agree. Ortiz probably also suffers because his significant fights were at an age when most fighters are retiring. He's a good fighter but could have been more, I think.

 

You put it perfectly, Wilder is an exciting fighter who has achieved some excellent things in the sport. Imo he was never the best heavyweight in the world and he’s sadly been the only consistent world level American heavyweight over the past 20 years.

 

Luis Ortiz didn't turn down anything.

Matchroom was hurriedly looking for a late replacement for Miller at MSG. Hearn called Ortiz's manager. Offered Ortiz a shot. Ortiz's manager stupidly thought it was a negotiation. And asked for a little bit more.

So Hearn went to the next guy on his list (Ruiz and Hunter, if I recall). Ortiz heard about what his manager had done and the same day told his manager to accept the offer. Ortiz's manager called Hearn back immediately and said they accepted, but Eddie moved on.

Ortiz's manager immediately went on social media and begged Hearn for the fight and said they'd take the money he offered. But Eddie, again, had moved on. Eddie wasn't in the mood to negotiate. He just needed a replacement.

Ortiz's manager totally crapped the bed in thinking it was a negotiation. And Luis Ortiz immediately set his manager straight. Don't act like Luis Ortiz was afraid of fighting Anthony Joshua. Ortiz signed with Matchroom SPECIFICALLY to fight Joshua.

Ortiz's manager on Twitter and Instragram publicly apologizing and begging Hearn for the fight and saying they would accept Hearn's offer (after he'd asked for more) was embarrassing. Ortiz should've fired him that day for being so inept.

This is how bad information permeates this board. Just state what actually happened. People can make up their own minds.