By: Sean Crose
Deontay Wilder was once regarded as being one of the best heavyweights on earth. And indeed the man was. The Alabama native’s power was so potent that it was argued the man was the hardest puncher in the history of the sport of boxing. Three brutal wars with Tyson Fury, however, plus a loss to Joseph Parker, appear to have taken their toll on Wilder, as the former WBC heavyweight champion was knocked down and then stopped by Zhilei Zhang in Saudi Arabia on Saturday.
The first round was an interesting affair with each man trying to assert himself with minimum success. Both fighter’s, however, were clearly eager to get the chance to let their fists fly. Zhang had Wilder in the corner in the second and indeed took to unloading on the former champion. Wilder was able to get free, but found himself back in the corner again a short time later. Zhang was able to continue to land on Wilder in the third. The New Jersey based Chinese heavyweight was taking control of the fight from the man known as “The Bronze Bomber.”
By the fourth it was clear that Wilder wasn’t looking like his former self. Then again, Wilder had often looked less than stellar in his prime while still managing to win in thunderous fashion. With that being said, Wilder decided to return to hunter mode in the fifth. Still, he wasn’t able to make much happen. Wilder then got dropped by a Zhang missile. The gutsy Alabaman was able to beat the count, but the referee wisely stepped in and stopped the fight.
It’s hard to imagine Wilder returning to his former glory at this point. First off, he’s two years short of forty. What’s more, his body took a lot of damage during his three wars against Fury. These things can count for something. Last but perhaps not least, Wilder may well have simply lost his edge. Again, there were times when Wilder found himself being challenged, but the guy always made it happen before the final bell. The last time Wilder’s power truly got him out of trouble was when it sent Fury to the mat in their first fight. And that was years ago. He was a terrific boxer in his prime, but Wilder’s time at the top of the figurative heap may well be gone.
Here’s to Zhang and his magnificent performance this weekend.