By: Sean Crose
I admit it, it’s nice to see Deontay Wilder, former heavyweight titlist and powerhouse, land himself another big fight. This time the man who battled Tyson Fury not once, not twice, but thrice will be squaring off against cruiserweight bigwig Jai Opetaia. Frankly I find this a fight to be excited about. Why? Because Wilder is the hardest puncher I’ve ever seen and I’ve watched boxing since the seventies. He’s always one shot away from ending the night. Ask Fury, who almost got his head taken off in his first of three classic bouts against Wilder. Make no mistake about it, if Opetaia gets hit and hit well, it may be a short night.
Of course, there are those who will argue that Wilder is well past his prime and they’re right to feel that way. He’s lost numerous fights, he’s not a kid, and he’s fighting a young buck who’s very good at what he does. If the odds to this are in favor of Opetaia, I won’t be surprised, nor will I be upset. It’s simply makes sense to focus on the younger, fresher fighter. Again though this is Wilder we’re talking about, the man with the thunderous punch. Those who are excited for this fight have good reason to be.
The truth is that Wilder deserves this. He’s entertained and he has thrilled fans for a long time now. His fights with Fury were classics, right up there with Bowe and Holyfield, and even if you dare, Norton and Ali and Ali and Frazier. The man was no joke. People like to knock him for his lack of skills. Yet Wilder has or has had the one skill that matters – the ability to accurately fire and land a punch that turns the lights out.
And while it’s true Wilder may have stated some off the wall stuff over the years the fact is the guy is fun.. at least most of the time. Claiming everything but the truth regarding his second defeat to Fury didn’t prove to be a good look for a while there, but he still exudes such confidence and showmanship that is hard not to forgive this guy.. unless of course you’re one of the people who has been falsely accused of bad behavior. Then forgiving Wilder may be a bit more difficult. Still, though he may not be a perfect man, but the truth is Wilder is must see material.
Perhaps making things even more interesting is the fact the fight is going to be on the undercard of the highly anticipated Fury -Joshua match and will be broadcast free for those who have Netflix. December 11th then is certainly going to be a good night of boxing. Or at least a very interesting one. Does Wilder have plans for the future should he pull off the upset? Probably. Why wouldn’t he at that point? And if he loses, it’s really no big loss. He’s not in the title contention business, at least not to as large a degree anymore. On top of that he’s had a heck of a career for himself as it is. In a sense, this fight is a plus all around for Wilder.
Credit here goes to Opetaia, as well. He’s putting a lot on the line here. First of all, he’s moving up to heavyweight, which is no small thing. That means he’s likely going up against a man who’s considerably bigger than him and is a lot more experienced in major fights. Opetaia is extremely skilled and has a bright future ahead of him. Make no mistake about it he’s putting himself at risk here. Good for him for not going the easy route of simple fights against men who are clearly not in his realm. There’s too many easy fights in boxing. Wilder and Opetaia are not going down that path. That in and of itself makes the announcement for this match enjoyable.
