By: Hans Themistode
For the most part, promoter Eddie Hearn simply couldn’t understand what everyone was talking about. Sure former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder was winning, but the manner in which he was doing was so was vastly unimpressive to the long-time headman over at Matchroom.
To Hearn, Wilder’s saving grace always has and always will be his devastating power. However, as illustrated in his last fight against Tyson Fury, that vaunted power doesn’t mean a thing if it doesn’t land.
“Without his power, I don’t even think he would be registered on the world-class scene,” said Hearn during an interview with Fight Hub TV. “He does have tremendous power. But, in my opinion, the only way he wins is to detonate that power against an elite heavyweight. If you look at the second Luis Ortiz fight, he lost every round but he showed the power. If he can’t show that power then he’s irrelevant in the fight against a brilliant fighter. Fury was too smart for him.”
Wilder, of course, stopped Ortiz in the seventh round of their 2019 contest but was ultimately knocked out in the seventh against Tyson Fury the following year.
Since then, Wilder has chastised his now former co-trainer Mark Breland for stopping their contest and ripped apart referee Kenny Bayless for his alleged preferential treatment of Fury on the night.
Without a fight date, Wilder’s return to the ring is an open-ended question. But while many have no idea if or when, he will return at all, Hearn hopes that he does in fact comeback.
“I hope so. He’s brilliant for the sport, great for the game. He’s a good self-promoter, great talker, really exciting and a huge puncher. I just don’t think he’s very good.”
At no point has Wilder ever been confused with Floyd Mayweather. In short, the Alabama native isn’t known for his boxing ability. But even at the peak of his powers, Hearn always believed that unified heavyweight titlist Anthony Joshua would handle Wilder convincingly.
Unfortunately however, both sides could never come to terms on a fight agreement. In Hearn’s opinion, Wilder had a much better chance of defeating Joshua several years ago. Now, on the other hand, Hearn believes Wilder would simply be wiped out.
“I’ve always felt that AJ (Anthony Joshua) would just destroy him and even more so now. He’s technically so good now that Wilder wouldn’t even get his shot off. AJ used to be reckless and when you’re reckless, you’re always wide open to the shot. But now, AJ would take his time and pick him apart.”
