BoxRec

Why is Deontay Wilder losing weight?

I know that Deontay Wilder regularly accuses drug cheats of being “murderers” and has insisted that his opponents are regularly tested by VADA, but ‘The Bronze’ bomber has been consistently losing weight since his 2016 bout against Artur Szpilka, which is only a few months prior to the WBC announcing their ‘Clean Boxing Program’ (CBP):

• Eric Molina: 229lbs (13/06/2015)
• Johann Duhaupas: 228.75lbs (26/09/2015)
• Artur Szpilka: 228.75lbs (16/01/2016)
• Chris Arreola: 226.25lbs (16/07/2016)
• Gerald Washington: 222lbs (25/02/2017)
• Bermane Stiverne: 220.75lbs (04/11/2017)
• Luis Ortiz: 214.75lbs (03/03/2018)
• Tyson Fury: 212.5lbs (01/12/2018) -> Wilder only weighed 209.4lbs on fight night

Boxing insiders knew about the WBC’s new anti-doping measures a few months before the CBP scheme was officially announced in 2016.

Ten days ago, Deontay’s brother, Marsellos, failed a drug test. The younger brother is much more muscular than ‘The Bronze Bomber’.

I’m not suggesting that Deontay Wilder is “dirty” or a “drug cheat”, but I just thought that the timing of his weight loss in comparison to the announcement of the CBP, coupled with what has occurred to his brother, is rather coincidental.

I can’t see any sporting benefits for Wilder losing so much weight, especially considering how skinny he looks right now:

Is anyone else able to explain the reason why Deontay Wilder has been consistently losing weight since his first title defence?

From the interviews and things I have read he isn't loosing weight on purpose closer to fight time he is getting ill which is resulting in him drop lb's - nothing foul or suspicious in my eyes

(it almost reinforces how hard he hits despite his lb)

kbackup408 wrote: ↑16 Apr 2019, 05:58 From the interviews and things I have read he isn't loosing weight on purpose closer to fight time he is getting ill which is resulting in him drop lb's - nothing foul or suspicious in my eyes

(it almost reinforces how hard he hits despite his lb)

The problem is that Wilder has always been ripped, but is continuously losing muscle as time passes by.

Also, I can’t find any record of Wilder being ill for every fight I listed. For one or two of them, yes, but for the remainder, no, but yet he keeps losing weight.

Its known if you want to put on muscle, you have to eat lot you can't diet ( unless you are using steroids),
I think mistake wilder is doing he is keeping very lean all time, so you will lose muscle with that too. he said problem could be that certain food his body accept only that can help him grow, they are checking with doctors.
He looked full and round upper body 228 lbs with audly harrison.

Enlightened-One wrote: ↑16 Apr 2019, 06:03 The problem is that Wilder has always been ripped, but is continuously losing muscle as time passes by.

Also, I can’t find any record of Wilder being ill for every fight I listed. For one or two of them, yes, but for the remainder, no, but yet he keeps losing weight.

you raise a good point mate, this has me intrigued now lol (bodys are so weird we all carry muscle differently)

Boxtune wrote: ↑16 Apr 2019, 06:08 Its known if you want to put on muscle, you have to eat lot you can't diet ( unless you are using steroids),
I think mistake wilder is doing he is keeping very lean all time, so you will lose muscle with that too. he said problem could be that certain food his body accept only that can help him grow, they are checking with doctors.
He looked full and round upper body 228 lbs with audly harrison.

could be a change in S&C trainers - i know people are becoming more savvy and respect what a strength and conditioning trainer can add (or remove in wilders case ha)

I think it's probably down to a fast metabolism and a relentlessly active lifestyle. Until recently I was able to eat a diet that would lead to obesity in some other folk. Nowadays I have to watch my sugar consumption as I'm not burning it off as quick as in previous years. Unfortunately depression and obesity are inextricably linked, so that's another thing to watch out for.

Wilder, I'm assuming, must have first rate nutritionists guiding him. So it is a bit surprising that he isn't being encouraged to eat more protein to help build muscle and stave off injury. As he is increasingly under the limelight he will be burning off energy and fat at an increasing rate.

Also should mention that Wilder's body types (ectomorphs) do tend to look younger and more athletic than others such as Fury or Chisora (endomorphs).

Thomastearns wrote: ↑16 Apr 2019, 07:05 I think it's probably down to a fast metabolism and a relentlessly active lifestyle. Until recently I was able to eat a diet that would lead to obesity in some other folk. Nowadays I have to watch my sugar consumption as I'm not burning it off as quick as in previous years. Unfortunately depression and obesity are inextricably linked, so that's another thing to watch out for.

Wilder, I'm assuming, must have first rate nutritionists guiding him. So it is a bit surprising that he isn't being encouraged to eat more protein to help build muscle and stave off injury. As he is increasingly under the limelight he will be burning off energy and fat at an increasing rate.

Also should mention that Wilder's body types (ectomorphs) do tend to look younger and more athletic than others such as Fury or Chisora (endomorphs).

^ you broke that down excellently - thanks for highlighting ectomorph/endomorph, Wilder is the definition of how an ectomorph athlete looks like!

I’d argue he’s more mesomorph than Ecto. His upper body is huge. Believe there’s a sliding scale type thing.

As for EO’s question. He’s burning more calories than he’s consuming. Thread closed.

lazboy wrote: ↑16 Apr 2019, 08:52 I’d argue he’s more mesomorph than Ecto. His upper body is huge. Believe there’s a sliding scale type thing.

As for EO’s question. He’s burning more calories than he’s consuming. Thread closed.

grand opening.. grand closing.. case closed haha!

Could it be the other way round?
That Wilder is at his ideal weight now having experimented with adding extra muscle mass earlier in his career.

His entire style is based off speed/power.
The lighter he is, the faster he is and subsequently, the more powerful he is.

It may have just taken him a while to realize that KOing big heavyweights is more important than looking like one.

Something tells me that the big "earners", as they say in the Mafia, in the US and UK and Mexico - like Wilder - don't get as rigorously drug tested by the Las Vegas - Mafia run Las Vegas of all places! - as do fighters from other parts of the world, especially Russia and eastern Europe.

Wilder losing weight is odd. People usually gain weight as they get older. He gets his power from his huge shoulders.

Ilya Muromets wrote: ↑16 Apr 2019, 10:14 Something tells me that the big "earners", as they say in the Mafia, in the US and UK and Mexico - like Wilder - don't get as rigorously drug tested by the Las Vegas - Mafia run Las Vegas of all places! - as do fighters from other parts of the world, especially Russia and eastern Europe.

Wilder losing weight is odd. People usually gain weight as they get older. He gets his power from his huge shoulders.

Then how did the big earners like Canelo fail tests

tiny_acres wrote: ↑16 Apr 2019, 10:27 Then how did the big earners like Canelo fail tests

Good point. Maybe Mexico doesn't have the pull that the US and UK do. Maybe they didn't pay the drug testers enough. Maybe Canelo's trainers didn't have the latest knowledge and technology to beat the drug tests. Let me know when Joshua or Wilder get tested by a totally independent party, and then even if they did...

Drug testing is corrupt too, like the rest of sport, and most especially boxing. The former head of WADA now travels the world talking about that, about how the tests - even if they are honest - can be beat if you are surrounded by knowledgeable people, doctors etc.

Organized crime controls 25% of world sport: WADA director David Howman, President of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)

https://nypost.com/2014/10/07/organized ... -director/

Ilya Muromets wrote: ↑16 Apr 2019, 10:44 Good point. Maybe Mexico doesn't have the pull that the US and UK do. Maybe they didn't pay the drug testers enough. Maybe Canelo's trainers didn't have the latest knowledge and technology to beat the drug tests. Let me know when Joshua or Wilder get tested by a totally independent party, and then even if they did...

Drug testing is corrupt too, like the rest of sport, and most especially boxing. The former head of WADA now travels the world talking about that, about how the tests - even if they are honest - can be beat if you are surrounded by knowledgeable people, doctors etc.

Organized crime controls 25% of world sport: WADA director David Howman, President of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)

https://nypost.com/2014/10/07/organized ... -director/

Depressing, but probably true. As recent events in London have shown its getting real difficult to tell the good guys apart from the bad. Still, we must draw the line somewhere.

With me, that line is a failed drugs test.

I think Wilder would be better suited if he was to make it to the ring on fight nights weighing in about 235-240 lbs. I feel he would still have 98% of the speed to his punches, but would have a bit more "BITE" to them.

Interesting to be put on a fight by fight basis EO
As for the initial question, I really have no idea.
Age slows metabolism, we know that, but Wilder is a few years too young for that to be an opposing factor, as in- gaining weight.
Also, Wilder has been very fit for years, so whittling down in size by harder training also does not seem a relevant factor. He literally only had muscle mass to lose, and harder training making that muscle mass more dense makes the muscle heavier. I get that with cows grazed in hill country, lean and fit- they still weigh in well at the stock sales

KiwiRider wrote: ↑17 Apr 2019, 17:10 Interesting to be put on a fight by fight basis EO
As for the initial question, I really have no idea.
Age slows metabolism, we know that, but Wilder is a few years too young for that to be an opposing factor, as in- gaining weight.
Also, Wilder has been very fit for years, so whittling down in size by harder training also does not seem a relevant factor. He literally only had muscle mass to lose, and harder training making that muscle mass more dense makes the muscle heavier. I get that with cows grazed in hill country, lean and fit- they still weigh in well at the stock sales

I was watching teddy atlas on JRE last year and he said the skinny wiry fellas hit the hardest regardless of weight - i guess a lean wilder punches like a truck

HeavyHitters wrote: ↑17 Apr 2019, 16:33 I think Wilder would be better suited if he was to make it to the ring on fight nights weighing in about 235-240 lbs. I feel he would still have 98% of the speed to his punches, but would have a bit more "BITE" to them.

fellas' like wilder never put that amount of weight on but IF he did lord have mercy on the opponent getting his chin rattled

When Wilder was earlier in his career he was doing weight training against his trainers wishes as he made the transition from cruiserweight. He stopped doing this around 2 or 3 years ago as it was unnecessary and he felt it slowed him.

marvelous marv wrote: ↑17 Apr 2019, 19:09 When Wilder was earlier in his career he was doing weight training against his trainers wishes as he made the transition from cruiserweight. He stopped doing this around 2 or 3 years ago as it was unnecessary and he felt it slowed him.

^ that is interesting to hear, i've watched videos on youtube of him doing more strength and conditioning drills (but in all fairness we only get to see what they want to show)

marvelous marv wrote: ↑17 Apr 2019, 19:09 When Wilder was earlier in his career he was doing weight training against his trainers wishes as he made the transition from cruiserweight. He stopped doing this around 2 or 3 years ago as it was unnecessary and he felt it slowed him.

If you’ve witnessed several of his YouTube training montage videos, weightlifting is a key component of his regime.

He lifts heavy, but with few reps, which means he’s trying to build muscle and improve strength.

I’m not being intentionally contrary, but these videos clearly contradict what you say.

Also, most elite-level heavyweights submit YouTube content of their training, displaying them lifting weights to build strength and increase muscle size. Boxers need a lot of functional strength.

I remember his saying he wanted to be the first HW to drop to CW and win a world title, but has also said he would come in at 245lbs if he fought Fury again.

..maybe those spider-like skinny legs have not been initially "designed" to carry much weight and effectively support the upper body for 12 rounds..

Controversial wrote: ↑18 Apr 2019, 04:34 I remember his saying he wanted to be the first HW to drop to CW and win a world title, but has also said he would come in at 245lbs if he fought Fury again.

Deontay Wilder's ring weight on the night of the Tyson Fury bout was apparently 209.4lbs. 'The Bronze Bomber' won't be able to gain 35lbs very quickly without gaining bodyfat, which would only adversely affect his performance levels. It'll take a couple of years to "cleanly" gain that sort of weight in muscle.