candyslim wrote: ↑04 Mar 2018, 05:46
I think there has been a general feeling in the UK that Wilder needs to beat a top opponent to prove worthy of meeting Joshua on equal terms (I'm not talking finance, I mean in terms of credibility as a champion). Well he's done what was asked of him, and he has gone up in my estimation a great deal. Yes we know he can be a little awkward, there's no denying it and we knew all about his power before hand, nothing new about that, but he showed a champion's heart and that this skinny guy on stilts can take a good shot without folding.
I said on another thread I hoped that Wilder would have to come through real adversity and get the win, and that Ortiz would turn back the years and put on a show that would validate Deontay in the way Wlad did for AJ. That is exactly what happened in my opinion. In a way it was very similar to the Joshua v Klitschko fight: Younger man takes on very respected older man, has to suck it up and come back from the verge of defeat, to triumph by late stoppage.
The only criticism I have is the crowd booing. WTF? Even the early feeling out rounds were intriguing, I wasn't bored for a second.
Now I'm hoping that AJ can get by Parker and that Deontay and AJ can iron out the financial split so we can finally get to find out who is the best heavyweight in the world. Yesterday I'd have said 60/40 Joshua. Today I'm still going to say Joshua but I see it a lot closer.
This.
I think the fight last night mirrored the AJ/Wlad fight very well. Both older guys couldn't finish the job, whilst being dropped themselves early on. Then the younger fighter recovering well from the back foot, carrying good power late, and finding a brutal stoppage.
I still think AJ has better fundamentals, whilst having much better dimensions than Ortiz. Wilder has an unmistakable power and can probably end Joshua at any moment, but He'll have to go through hell to do so.
Joshua is getting better each fight, so wilder needs to get a move on. I give AJ 51% chance of victory, but only because Wilder is unpredictable.