Deontay Wilder has succumbed to the one thing every boxer fears: the former world champion became too comfortable outside the ring.
“The Bronze Bomber” looked like a shell of himself last month in Saudi Arabia, losing to Joseph Parker after fourteen months on the sidelines.
Before that loss, Wilder had fought only once a year and only twice in a nearly four-year period.
Parker toyed with Wilder, punched him, and scored a unanimous decision, winning each round.
Boxing’s biggest killer struck again, as a lack of activity was to blame for Wilder’s career likely being over at this point.
He may have shaken off the cobwebs against Parker, but it’s debatable whether Wilder will be able to get back into the epic trilogy fight with Tyson Fury.
There’s also the question of whether Wilder or his trainer, Malik Scott, know exactly his ideal weight. In recent fights, Wilder has gone either extremely heavy or very, very light.
Neither appears to be working against the biggest names in the sport.
Activity is a big problem for Deontay Wilder
In an attempt to explain his loss, Wilder spoke to 78 Sports TV. He admitted that being away too long affected his performance.
“My time didn’t come due to inactivity. “I’m disappointed because I know I’m a better fighter than him,” Wilder said. “I hurt him a couple of times, but I didn’t take certain shots.
“It was a doubt and I couldn’t understand why. He doesn’t have to beat me at all, not even on a great day for him. He did nothing. None of us really did anything.
“We did what we did and moved on to the next one. You know what I mean? We live to see another day, and that’s what it’s all about. And I’m ready to come home to my kids and love them all.”
Where Wilder goes from here is anyone’s guess. Zhilei Zhang is one of the names mentioned. On paper, it appears to be a more challenging test than Parker’s.
At 38 years old, Wilder has little time left but he needs to regain confidence. If he gets a spot on the Joshua vs. Ngannou card in March, he should use it to get back to his knockout form.
Zhang won’t have that luxury. Wilder should ignore the payday and relax. An explosive victory on March 8 could put him back in action in June for another loss.
With two wins under his belt, Wilder could have enough speed to take on a top ten player. Anything less than that could end his career when Riyadh’s season closes.
Phil Jay is an experienced boxing news writer and has been the editor of World Boxing News since 2010.
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