As fight fans know, Deontay Wilder is determined, obsessed even, over getting his revenge over Tyson Fury. The former WBC heavyweight champ who lost both his belt and his unbeaten record to Fury on February 22 in Las Vegas is set for a return with Fury, in Vegas again, possibly on July 18th. Most fans feel quite strongly that Wilder is on a hiding to nothing but, well, another hiding in the third fight between he and Fury, but there seems to be no shortage of people who are willing to help “The Bronze Bomber” unleash the effective bombs needed to down “The Gypsy King.”
Indeed, just over 10 days on from Fury’s absolute destruction of Wilder, no less than three big names from the sport (and counting) have offered to help Wilder in his quest – that of beating up Fury and repaying the favour. No matter that Wilder has a team, a team that has been with him for years – including Jay Deas, Mark Breland (who, the word is, will stay with Deontay, this despite the anger the former champ felt at Mark’s chucking in of the white towel in round seven). The big names wanting to guide Wilder back to the top are: George Foreman, Greg Haugen and Floyd Mayweather.
Foreman, who insisted he doesn’t want to become Wilder’s full-on trainer, or even a member of his entourage, said recently how he is willing to work with Wilder for a few weeks, to aid the skinny-legged former champ with his physical strength. Foreman basically said Wilder needs to go back to old-school methods of ploughing fields, working “with the earth” and of lifting weights to increase his physical strength.
Mayweather has also said that Wilder can beat Fury, but only if he is the man training him. Interesting indeed, seeing as how Floyd, as masterful as he was with his own career, has never fully trained any fighter. Haugen, a former champ at lightweight and super-lightweight, took to social media to ask Wilder to take him on as his new trainer.
“Deontay, I will train you and you don’t have to pay me if I don’t make you the champion again,” Haugen wrote on social media. “I know you have Mark (Breland) but some fresh eyes will help you. I know I can train you to beat Tyson (Fury). I will come to Vegas and make you a lot better boxer. If you are interested, contact me.”
Heaven knows what Wilder is thinking right now, if he has read the current offers from former champions willing to “make him champion again.” Might Wilder even be offended by these seemingly well-meaning offers? And what will Deas and Breland make of such offers (if they have even read about them)?
It seems everyone wants a piece of Wilder: would-be new trainers, rival fighters like Dillian Whyte and others, and a few promoters who always did want a piece of Wilder. How about letting the guy alone to come back as HE sees fit?
Wilder, rightly or wrongly, has always done things his own way. Don’t expect this to change just because the Alabama Hammer has lost a fight.
