But Wilder has tested himself against one elite fighter, Pulev against 2. Pulev won as much as Wilder did. Which is a slew of victories over borderline top ten opposition. WBC Shmubbleyoubeesea. Who did Wilder beat to earn that belt? Who did he defend it against? When was he ever the heavyweight champion of the world? If Wilder defended against Pulev I'd be saying it's his best opponent thus far, and we'll played for taking a fight be knew he would lose. You wouldn't say anything because Wilder would be balls deep in your throat.
Pulev outboxes him with his decent jab for a little, then either gets sparked instantly or feels the power and becomes really tentative for a couple rounds before getting his lights put out.
Wilder without a doubt, Pulev has never been particularly strong, although he has several great victories against good opponents, but still Wilder would find time to catch him and knock him out...
While I do love trashing Wilder, stylistically I think Pulev suits him. Pulev won't press constantly to back Wilder up and when pressured himself goes into clinch mode as he doesn't move well enough to always get out of the way. Wlad figured out he just had to jump on Pulev, don't box him behind the jab because Pulev has the better jab, take advantage of Pulev's inability to get out of the way quickly enough by just stepping in quickly and unload the left hook or right hand. Don't stand back and have a jab fest, instead stay out of range then pick your moment step in deep and unload. Wilder may not have the smarts of Wlad but with his height, reach, power and tendency to step in and unload the right hand sporadically has a style that's suits to blast Pulev out of there. No doubt Wilder will be a mile behind having been nearly shut out on the scorecards but at some point he'll catch Pulev because Pulev doesn't have the style to take away Wilder's lethal right hand or the power to knock Wilder out before Wilder knocks him out.
Yeah, Pulev seemed to struggle to KO opponents but had other good attributes. Probably outboxes Wilder for seven rounds, maybe gets hurt somewhere in there with a bomb, but also busts up Wilder's face pretty bad. Then gets nailed a few times and gets stopped. Doesn't seem like a good matchup for him, really. Where as someone like Whyte, Pulev would handle the power and out point and out hustle him.
Pulev jabs the **** put of Wilder in the early rounds, rocks him a few times and busts his face. Wilder gets closer and closer to Pulev’s chin in the mid rounds and finds the mark later to score a comeback from behind stoppage. Pulev is just too stiff.