THE countdown to a fight the whole world wants to see has moved up a gear this week, with Deontay Wilder’s camp insisting their man is on course to reclaim his WBC world heavyweight belt.
British betting experts seem to have decided that Wilder’s best days are behind him and the current chances of the Alabama fighter reaching 12/5 (240) will get revenge after his defeat to Tyson Fury in February 2020.
However, the gambling firms may have forgotten that Wilder is still only 35 and he held the WBC belt for five straight years, making ten successful defences, and in their first fight he had Fury on the canvas – twice. Wilder’s superior punching power saw him floor the self-styled Gypsy King in rounds nine and 11 at the Staples Center in LA back in December 2018, reports blacksportsonline.com.
In Fury’s defence he did return the favour with two knockdowns of his own in the rematch in Nevada, but according to Wilder’s head trainer, Malik Scott, they will again focus on attack, describing the former champion’s camp as “violent”.
“This will be the best version of Deontay Wilder that you have ever seen,” said Scott, about a fighter who didn’t take up the sport until he was 20. “This Deontay would knock out the old Deontay in two rounds. He is ten times more focused, training 100 times harder.
“It is a violent camp, his mentality is very violent,”
And on Fury’s weaknesses they intend to exploit, Scott added: “Fury fights with his hands down, at times with his chin up, at times he comes forwards, at times he is close with his hands down. He has been knocked down by guys who hit less hard than Deontay. He is very vulnerable.”
Fury dismissed any theory that Wilder could alter his tactics, claiming the American is a “one-trick pony”, and clearly the sportsbooks agree with the 33-year-old out of Manchester in the north of England, putting the champion in at 3/10 (-333) to retain his titles. CNN
The added incentive for both fighters is the lure of a unification bout with WBA, WBO and IBF champion, Anthony Joshua, a clash that could be one of the most lucrative fights in history.
Wilder v Fury I was one of the fights of 2018, with Fury surprising many in the boxing world, and probably even Wilder, by the quality of his ring craft. He came into the fight after a two-fight comeback following much-reported battles with drugs and mental health issues,
Without the two knockdowns, many believe Wilder would have been comprehensively outpointed, but the draw was the perfect set up for Wilder v Fury II. This time the challenger came into the clash far more focused on his own work and pushed the Bronze Bomber on to the back foot from early in the fight and never let up, Wilder’s camp throwing in the towel in the seventh round.
While the bookies have the third clash in Nevada as a win for Fury, Wilder must decide whether the lure of a potential match-up with Joshua is enough incentive for him to turn the odds upside down, reclaim the WBC crown, and show the world what a real champion he is.