BoxRec

punchoutsb wrote:

Impractical Poster wrote:

punchoutsb wrote: That's the other problem; he didn't.

OK, let's place the blame directly on Povetkin for everything. Why is Wilder and his teams mentality "We couldn't get the number one contender so let's take #47 instead". There are a lot of decent-to-good fighters around to day. "Champion" Wilder has somehow managed to miss them all. Compare Wilders path with the other "next big things" and really there is no comparison. He is either protecting himself or being protected by his team. All the evidence points that way.

Honestly, I believe he is trying to secure a fight with one of the big dogs, and doesn't want to ruin it by losing to someone less, but dangerous. However, how certain are we that he didn't try to make fights with higher ranked fighters and they turned them down? A fight with Wlad, Povetkin, Ortiz, Fury would launch Deontay's selling power quite a bit. A loss to a relatively unknown 10-ish ranked fighter would stop any steam he has going.

Trust me, I don't care for it, but he's not ducking every one. I just laugh at some of the comments I read. It's going to be a real thorn in the side of most folks on here if Deontay ends up starching some top competition.

Hopefully we get to see those match-ups.... sooner than later.

I agree, I just have seen no evidence at all that Wilder wants any big fights. He always seems to fight D or C level fringe contenders...nobody better than Andrej Wawrzyk wanted this fight? I don't believe that.

I also agree that some peoples comments are hyperbolic and paint pictures of worldwide conspiracies etc. At the end of the day I just want to see Wilder fight and defend his as of now phony title against a legitimate opponent. Joshua has found a way to do it, Parker found a way to fight a fellow undefeated prospect, Fury found a way to do it. Wilder has more fights than all of them and still has not. That speaks volumes. If he steps up and wins, I will be the first to celebrate because I love big punching, legit heavyweights.

Why would he want to fight better opponents? So that they expose him?

boxing_rocks wrote:

punchoutsb wrote:

Impractical Poster wrote: Honestly, I believe he is trying to secure a fight with one of the big dogs, and doesn't want to ruin it by losing to someone less, but dangerous. However, how certain are we that he didn't try to make fights with higher ranked fighters and they turned them down? A fight with Wlad, Povetkin, Ortiz, Fury would launch Deontay's selling power quite a bit. A loss to a relatively unknown 10-ish ranked fighter would stop any steam he has going.

Trust me, I don't care for it, but he's not ducking every one. I just laugh at some of the comments I read. It's going to be a real thorn in the side of most folks on here if Deontay ends up starching some top competition.

Hopefully we get to see those match-ups.... sooner than later.

I agree, I just have seen no evidence at all that Wilder wants any big fights. He always seems to fight D or C level fringe contenders...nobody better than Andrej Wawrzyk wanted this fight? I don't believe that.

I also agree that some peoples comments are hyperbolic and paint pictures of worldwide conspiracies etc. At the end of the day I just want to see Wilder fight and defend his as of now phony title against a legitimate opponent. Joshua has found a way to do it, Parker found a way to fight a fellow undefeated prospect, Fury found a way to do it. Wilder has more fights than all of them and still has not. That speaks volumes. If he steps up and wins, I will be the first to celebrate because I love big punching, legit heavyweights.

Why would he want to fight better opponents? So that they expose him?

I don't...is this a real question?

I think Wawrzyk is an OK opponent to test his hand and repaired torn bicep. I also thought Molina was an ok opponent to test his newly repaired broken hand after Stiverne. Wilder admits now that he came back to early though, as it was only 3 or 4 months after that surgery that he fought Molina. So, we have two fights labeled as tune-ups following injuries and surgery.

I can't remember why he fought the guy in September of last year, Duhaupas, but think he wanted another tune-up due to his hand and poor performance vs Molina. He planned on fighting Povetkin in January to fulfill his mandatory. That didn't happen due to a cut injury and Povetkin was not ready. A third mandatory, Szpilka, filled in, on short notice. He seems better than everyone thought, but I agree it should have been a much higher ranked guy. So there are 3 of the 4 voluntary guys he has fought.

Arreola was a total crap opponent as a 4th, but short notice its hard to get top guys to agree. Povetkin failing the test was the reason for Arreola. Injury again, and surgery afterwards, brings us to the present.

I say all this not to defend Wilder, but to say I understand somewhat why he fought the guys he did. Injuries, fight cancellations, and short notice seems legit considering the circumstances. I am as frustrated as most though to not see him tested against the best. I would rather see him busy than not fight at all, like once a year like some do. January marks 2 years at champ. Even with the excuses, he has to show us all he is all he says he is, or he will lose the few fans he has left.

Badhusker wrote:I say all this not to defend Wilder, but to say I understand somewhat why he fought the guys he did. Injuries, fight cancellations, and short notice seems legit considering the circumstances. I am as frustrated as most though to not see him tested against the best. I would rather see him busy than not fight at all, like once a year like some do. January marks 2 years at champ. Even with the excuses, he has to show us all he is all he says he is, or he will lose the few fans he has left.

The problem is not that he's not fighting the best, its that there's a massive gap between "the best" and Wawrzyk.

Fair enough, Fury isn't available, Povetkin isn't happening, Klitschko and Joshua are facing each other, but it seems that every time he picks the weakest available option - the guy with the softest chin, the lowest KO percentage, the lowest risk.

As you say, January will be two years as champ and he's facing Wawrzyk next which means we'll be getting close to three years before he faces anyone remotely threatening. That's why, despite being an unbeaten heavyweight Champion with a near-100% KO rate, he's still fighting in his home state in front of 11,000 fans.

the_doctor wrote:

Badhusker wrote:I say all this not to defend Wilder, but to say I understand somewhat why he fought the guys he did. Injuries, fight cancellations, and short notice seems legit considering the circumstances. I am as frustrated as most though to not see him tested against the best. I would rather see him busy than not fight at all, like once a year like some do. January marks 2 years at champ. Even with the excuses, he has to show us all he is all he says he is, or he will lose the few fans he has left.

The problem is not that he's not fighting the best, its that there's a massive gap between "the best" and Wawrzyk.

Fair enough, Fury isn't available, Povetkin isn't happening, Klitschko and Joshua are facing each other, but it seems that every time he picks the weakest available option - the guy with the softest chin, the lowest KO percentage, the lowest risk.

As you say, January will be two years as champ and he's facing Wawrzyk next which means we'll be getting close to three years before he faces anyone remotely threatening. That's why, despite being an unbeaten heavyweight Champion with a near-100% KO rate, he's still fighting in his home state in front of 11,000 fans.

Agree with much of what you said. Still, in light of his injury, Wawrzyk seems like a decent enough opponent, as he was good enough for Povetkin 3 years ago, and is probably better now. Wilder is getting more and more heat to step it up, so hopefully it happens.

As far as the praise Joshua and Parker are getting compared to Wilder, I think it is a bit pre-mature. Joshua has been fighting guys in his own experience range, and just had a Wilder tomato can left over, with no criticism. Breazeale was a joke of an opponent, as he got his ass handed to him by a 44 yr old small has been and didn't win a round. Lucky for him Mansour had to stop from biting his tongue. Martin was also not good. Yes, Joshua has Wlad scheduled, but has not happened yet. Wilder had Povetkin scheduled too. Wlad looked like total dogshit in his last fight over a year ago, and is over 40. I hope it actually happens.

Parker fought one good guy, but a guy that was totally out of shape, and doubtfully even as good as Stiverne. Ruiz made Stiverne look slim. If Parker struggled with him I am not sure he will beat a top guy.

Wawryzk was seen as a sh*t opponent when Povetkin fought him too.

gilgamesh wrote:Wawryzk was seen as a sh*t opponent when Povetkin fought him too.

No doubt, and at least going into the Povetkin fight he hadn't been found at as laughably out of his depth at that level.

Wawrzyk is bad even considering Wilder's injury: you're talking about someone 1) whose best win is over Marcin Rekowski, 2)who went life and death with an opponent AJ destroyed less than a year after turning pro, and 3) who was absolutely butchered the lone time he fought a top ten opponent.

But the injury! But the injury for a second time! But the lack of amateur experience! But other fighters avoiding him! But he'll fight someone good next time!

Badhusker wrote:

the_doctor wrote:

Badhusker wrote:I say all this not to defend Wilder, but to say I understand somewhat why he fought the guys he did. Injuries, fight cancellations, and short notice seems legit considering the circumstances. I am as frustrated as most though to not see him tested against the best. I would rather see him busy than not fight at all, like once a year like some do. January marks 2 years at champ. Even with the excuses, he has to show us all he is all he says he is, or he will lose the few fans he has left.

The problem is not that he's not fighting the best, its that there's a massive gap between "the best" and Wawrzyk.

Fair enough, Fury isn't available, Povetkin isn't happening, Klitschko and Joshua are facing each other, but it seems that every time he picks the weakest available option - the guy with the softest chin, the lowest KO percentage, the lowest risk.

As you say, January will be two years as champ and he's facing Wawrzyk next which means we'll be getting close to three years before he faces anyone remotely threatening. That's why, despite being an unbeaten heavyweight Champion with a near-100% KO rate, he's still fighting in his home state in front of 11,000 fans.

Agree with much of what you said. Still, in light of his injury, Wawrzyk seems like a decent enough opponent, as he was good enough for Povetkin 3 years ago, and is probably better now. Wilder is getting more and more heat to step it up, so hopefully it happens.

As far as the praise Joshua and Parker are getting compared to Wilder, I think it is a bit pre-mature. Joshua has been fighting guys in his own experience range, and just had a Wilder tomato can left over, with no criticism. Breazeale was a joke of an opponent, as he got his ass handed to him by a 44 yr old small has been and didn't win a round. Lucky for him Mansour had to stop from biting his tongue. Martin was also not good. Yes, Joshua has Wlad scheduled, but has not happened yet. Wilder had Povetkin scheduled too. Wlad looked like total dogshit in his last fight over a year ago, and is over 40. I hope it actually happens.

Parker fought one good guy, but a guy that was totally out of shape, and doubtfully even as good as Stiverne. Ruiz made Stiverne look slim. If Parker struggled with him I am not sure he will beat a top guy.

AJ's opposition is very similar to Wilder's now, despite Wilder being a pro 5 years longer. If the Wlad fight actually goes ahead, AJ will clearly have fought better opponents on the whole.

Parker's opposition 4 years into his career is also far better than Wilder's was at the same stage, despite JP turning pro younger and having only 35 amateur fights.