By: Hans Themistode
Deontay Wilder is essentially an entirely new fighter. At least, that’s what he appears to be.
For over a decade, the former Olympic bronze medalist was chastised for his lack of boxing ability. Regardless of the primitive skills he displayed, Wilder has always been able to bail himself out of trouble with arguably the biggest right hand in boxing history. However, in his most recent contest against Tyson Fury in February of 2020, Wilder was taken aback when his power failed him on the night.
As a result, Wilder was pummeled throughout their showdown before being subsequently stopped in the seventh round. With Wilder now set to run things back with Fury this coming Saturday at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, Wilder believes he’s better than ever.
“Malik [Scott] has brought the best out of me,” said Wilder to a group of reporters about his new head trainer. “I believe in what we’ve been doing in camp, I believe in my team and the ability that I have. I look forward to displaying my talent and ability in the ring.”
Over the past few months, Scott has stripped Wilder to the bare meat and bones and worked on the basics. In recent video clips, Wilder is shown working on his defensive movement, attacking the body, jabbing, and putting together combinations while slipping out of the way of oncoming traffic.
Having stopped everyone other than Fury, Scott is aiming to ensure that not only will his former heavyweight titlist have the edge in the power department but when it comes down to it, he’ll be able to hold his own as an overall boxer.
Typically, Wilder has gone into his showdowns with a one-track mind. But while he’s still looking to close the show before the final bell, the Alabama native intends to make Fury’s punishment a long and cruel one.
“Everyone knows I have power and my power never diminishes from the first through the 12th. But I want to show a little bit more. I want to beat him up and I’m going to knock him out.”
