When did Wilder's PRIME end?

When was Deontay Wilder's prime? And when did it end?

This is a guy who relied heavily on his physical assets: his power which was connected to his speed and athleticism. He was also well known for not being a good trainer who didn't like road work.

Usually fighters as they get old will start to compensate for their loss of athleticism with the countless hours they spent honing their craft and in ring experience. Does that describe Wilder though?

He won the title aged 29 years old, putting in arguably his best all round performance against Stiverne. This may well have been his peak, certainly in terms of age related athleticism.

So how long did it last, and did the damage he took along the way reduce his prime?

With each year after winning the WBC title it became a theme of him having to rely on his power as fights with also-rans became ever tighter on the cards.

He was, then, 32 when he fought Louis Ortiz the first time. It was a very competitive fight. Both men leaving it all in the ring. A doctor even needing to be called in due to the amount of punishment Wilder was taking.

Was that the end of his prime?

Next he fought Tyson Fury and was thoroughly outboxed round after round, his power bailing him out to somehow manage a draw. But this wasn't against a Fury in the best of conditions. Was this more evidence of Wilder slipping out of his prime?

He was 33 years old when he fought Breazeale (also 33). He scored a devastating KO, but he was getting tagged far more than he should have been by Breazeale. More evidence of decline? Did he only have his power left to bail him out at this stage?

He then fought the Ortiz for a second time. Wilder was 34 years old. He lost every round against the much older Ortiz, his power again bailing him out. I think if we are honest, he was no longer prime at this point. The first fight, two years prior, every round was competitive. This fight was far removed from the 29 year old that won the title.

He then fights Fury for a second time, age 34, and takes a one sided beating. We all mock him that his costume was too heavy. But his legs being gone (for a fighter who always relied on his athleticism) was an obvious red flag that he was already done at the top, before this fight began.

So when did his prime end? Age 32 in that first fight against Ortiz? Age 33 against Breazeale? Or Age 34 fighting Ortiz a second time and losing every round before the KO?
Or was it some time earlier or even later?

 

I am going with a wild card and saying Ortiz 1. I think he did look actually good in that fight. Against a younger Ortiz. It was an exciting win, but marred by the doctor interference.

For me, I thought he was pretty woeful against fat Fury the first time, minus the two KDs.

Then, imho, the manner of KO of Breazeale hid a lot of disfunction. And as you say he was generally awful against an old Ortiz the second time. I think he was already done when Fury 2 came around. But I can see why people would say that was the end, because the beating was so one sided and definitive.

 

Are you suggesting Usyk, Beterbiev, and Floyd aren't still Prime?

But yeah, I have noticed this at times. No dig at anyone, as I may well be wrong in my assessment. But kind of why I'm curious as to how people will respond on this.

 

You make a convincing case for Fury 1 there. Hadn't thought of it like that, but yeah, it's not the best feeling when you can't put a dent in someone.

But do you not think the KOs of Breazeale and Ortiz 2 would have helped with any such self doubt? Of course maybe it all came flooding back for the Ring walk for Fury 2: costume feeling heavy, legs are gone

 

Well there is probably some schadenfreude involved there given how celebrated his win over Ortiz was.