Video of Deontay Wilder training

Olympic medalist boxer Wilder visits Lynn Haven gym (See Photo Gallery) Comments 0 | Recommend 1 Tuscaloosa, Ala., native won bronze at 2008 Beijing Games August 04, 2009 08:36:00 AM By BRAD MILNER / News Herald Writer Deontay Wilder is not one to waste time. Four years ago, the 6-foot-7 Tuscaloosa, Ala., native was playing junior college basketball at Shelton State. On Monday, he was in Lynn Haven, training at Ring Work Boxing Gym for his seventh professional boxing match and third appearance on ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights. Click here or the link at right for a gallery of photos from the training session. In a span of months, Wilder’s priorities changed from hoping to play basketball for the University of Alabama to taking care of a newborn daughter with spina bifida, a condition that affects the spinal column. He worked two and as many as three jobs to help pay medical bills. Boxing became a viable alternative for Wilder, who eventually won a bronze medal in the heavyweight division at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. “My own opportunities came and went when I had my little girl” Naieya, Wilder said. “So boxing was one of my three choices to go pro in to make some money.” Wilder said Naieya, now 4, is his main source of inspiration. Many children born with spina bifida are paralyzed. Naieya is a fighter, Wilder said, and is walking. “She feels like the impossible is possible and so do I,” Wilder said. “She doesn’t settle for less, just like me. And she loves that her daddy is boxing.” Naieya has witnessed Wilder’s success, and most until now has come. When he left Shelton State in 2005 and strolled into Jay Deas’ gym in Northport, Ala., Deas’ first reaction was obvious. “I thought he was really tall,” Deas said. Deas, co-trainer along with former WBA welterweight champion Mark Breland, gave Wilder a few pointers and left him to his own devices. “I watched him from afar to see what kind of drive he had,” Deas said. “And it was good to see him work even harder, and I could see he really wanted to do this.” Wilder admitted it was awkward to enter a world he was unfamiliar with, but he was a quick study. “I was always fighting in the streets, but it wasn’t positive,” Wilder said. “I thought it would be easy, but now I really know about how to work out.” Amateur matches came soon after he began to train, and the 23-yearold Wilder destroyed his first three opponents, each in less than 30 seconds. State boxing officials told Deas that Wilder would have to fight boxers with more experience, because no novice fighters wanted to step into the ring with the heavyweight. Wilder, who has an 84-inch reach, continued to display the power that has given him a 6-0 pro record on the national tournament scale and at the Olympic Trials. He was racking up wins, and there was little doubt he’d make the Olympic boxing team. Wilder came within one win of fighting for the gold medal. He lost to Russo Clemente of Italy in the semifinals and tied for third for the bronze. “This kind of thing is unheard of really,” Deas said. “No one has done more in less amount of time, not Roy Jones Jr., not Oscar De La Hoya.” Jones took four years before winning his first championship. Deas believes Wilder is on a similar path. “I tell him all the time that he’s still just a baby in this sport,” Deas said. “He’s a solid eight years away from his prime, which is downright scary. “I fully expect him to win the heavyweight championship of the world in under three years.” Deas points to the supporting cast as a factor in Wilder’s rise. Breland is an accomplished fighter with a gold medal and pro title on his resume. The Brooklyn, N.Y., native finished with a 35-3-1 career mark. Breland won the then-vacant WBA welterweight title in 1987. He lost it six months later against Marlon Starling and regained it in 1989. Breland defended the belt four times before losing it for a final time in 1990. Wilder also has solid management behind him, Deas said. Shelly Finkel is one of Wilder’s managers and has guided the careers of Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield and the Klitschko brothers, to name a few. Wilder said the support group alleviates outside pressures. “They all make my job easier,” Wilder said. “All I have to do is get in the ring and beat people up.” Only one of Wilder’s six matches has gone beyond one round, and he’s won all by knockout. He’s fought a cast of characters that include different fighting styles and weights, and who had a better combined record than those who fought Tyson in his early days. The next fight against Travis Allen in Tucson, Ariz., Aug. 14 on ESPN2 will be one of many to come as Wilder’s opponents increase in skill level. He’s confident a title fight will come in the future. “When I set my goals in anything I set them high,” Wilder said. “There’s no doubt. I want to be the undisputed heavyweight champion.” ..........

Wilder wins, injures hand TUCSON, Ariz. | Tuscaloosa heavyweight boxer Deontay 'The Bronze Bomber' Wilder injured his right hand on Friday night, although he was able to improve his professional record to 7-0. Wilder, 23, dominated 30-year-old Travis Allen, who was knocked down for the first time with less than 30 seconds gone in the first round. The fight was stopped at the 1:30 mark in the first after Wilder knocked Allen down a second time. Wilder won with a technical knockout, giving him seven knockouts in his professional career. Wilder and Jay Deas, his coach, planned to head for an Arizona hospital to have the hand X-rayed. 'I can bend my hand and use it and stuff,' said the 6-foot-7, 218-pound Wilder. 'Hopefully, it was just a bone that popped out of place and can be popped in. I want to continue fighting. I'm on a roll. I'm in shape. I'm feeling good. I don't want to sit out.' Deas said Wilder's next bout, scheduled for Sept. 5 in Cincinnati, 'would appear to be in jeopardy right now.' 'We don't know the severity,' Deas said. 'It's pretty swollen. We'll have to see how it looks once we get the x-rays back. 'Things like this happen in boxing. I just hope that he banged it real good. It might be what they call a stinger in football. It feels worse than it really is.' Wilder said he tried to execute the techniques taught by Deas and Mark Breland, a former Olympic and world welterweight champion. 'It wouldn't be a team if I didn't follow what they said,' Wilder said. 'They're my eyes and ears when I'm in the ring. 'I came with a couple of hooks I landed on him. I was using different combinations and stuff, and it worked out pretty good. I wish he could have stayed in a little longer. If they can't stay with the power, oh well, on to the next opponent.' Wilder said he made a mistake by leaning in too much, and Allen 'got one shot on me.' 'You're going to make mistakes,' Wilder said. 'It's OK as long as you correct it and don't make it twice.' The 6-foot-2 Allen entered the bout weighing 228 pounds. His record fell to 2-5. Deas said he was pleased that Wilder displayed more versatility as a boxer. 'I thought Deontay was more relaxed tonight,' Deas said. 'He was landing some good shots. Just about everything we worked on in the gym he was able to put together in a minute-and-a-half. 'He definitely made better use of his distance. His jab looked good. He kept his left knee a little bit lower, giving leverage on his jab. Of course, his right hand is always going to be his big weapon, but the timing, the spacing, everything we worked on looked good. '(Allen) may have landed a punch or two but nothing of consequence. In light of the injury, I'm glad he got the guy out of there. If Deontay had to fight three more rounds with the injury he certainly would have and could have. He would have made the adjustments. He's fought with injuries before.' Wilder's previous fight was also in the Desert Diamond Casino in Tucson. He knocked out Kelsey Arnold at the 1:13 mark of the first round on June 26. ..........