Ever good natured and enthusiastic in his interviews, Deontay is the kind of guy you can’t help but like – OUT of the ring – yet he is pretty far off the mark with his statements here regarding what will happen – if and when he eventually gets the call to fight Wladimir IN it.
Talking of the recent Bryant Jennings fight – that did surprise many in the trade by going the distance – the “Bronze Bomber said;
“I think that Klitschko is definitely showing his age now. It’s sad to say but it showed in the ring – and the ring is the judge. You know, we see what happen but I was very proud of Bryant with his performance – and even though my thoughts was with Klitschko as far as who was gonna win – my heart was with Bryant. I really wanted him to make the upset.”
“It would have meant a great deal to see another American have the remainings of the belt(s) and 2 American guys clash out for a unification bout.”
He may have to wait a while as Tyson Fury is mandatory to Wladimir and that is going to be Klitschko’s next fight – possibly in the UK – yet when probed on what would happen if it were HE and Wladimir in that ring, Deontay said of the outcome;
“We only could tell. We only will know when it happens. I will be victorious I promise you that. I promise the world that – I will be victorious. That’s how confident I am and I’m promising the world! If I fail you have – you have permission – everybody in the world – to come and slap me!”
“I can’t wait till my turn and unifying the division and I will be the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. I promise.”
Pressed on how the fight would go, to make a prediction, he said;
“I dunno man, I’m not Muhammad Ali – I can’t predict rounds and things you know? You can tell I’m not good at predicting a round due to my last fight. I said four rounds and it went f****** 12 rounds!”
“But only the future gonna tell with that fight and we not gonna rush nothing. We gonna let it happen – all things happen at the right time in my life and we gonna let that one happen, we gonna enjoy being the champion, defend it – defend my title as much as possible and we gonna go from there.”
Deontay will have to keep one eye on tomorrow’s Povetkin v Perez fight as the winner of that becomes his mandatory and very next fight. That is of course, unless Al Haymon doesn’t pay them to step aside so a softer option can fill in.
And that’s not a slight on Wilder. But re-read that last paragraph of speech.
It’s a slight on Haymon’s methods of protecting his clients I guess – or most of them anyway.
From a fan perspective I’m sad we didn’t see Tyson Fury v Deontay Wilder first before EITHER faced Wladimir – as age aside, I can’t envision either winning against Dr Steelhammer. The boxing skill and mobility of Fury give him more of a chance in my eyes – but like everyone else, I’m struggling to see how Wladimir will be dethroned.
Either way – at nigh on 40 years old and a new father – we won’t have him around for much longer – and after a Fury fight – and in say another 2 years from now – is it possible Wilder could be beating him at exactly the right time?
It’s not exactly Trevor Berbick v Muhammad Ali – but there’s still a ten year age gap and another 2 years of slow-down could mean the “Bombsquad” has the very best chance of detonating!
Time will tell, as Deontay says…..
Thank for reading
Twitter @Undilutedpoison