Where does Deontay Wilder stack up against the early 80's HW scene?

[Willow The Wisp]

Hello, my friend, there is one problem to what you are saying. Wilder can't box. Wilder footwork is a joke. Fury does. So does Lewis and Vitali. Lewis is a much biggest punch than Fury. That fight won't go past 4. Vitali has very good footwork and a very good counter puncher. Wilder might last 8.

All this talk about skills, footwork, etc that Wilder lacks has come about in bulk since his trilogy with Fury when he lost his '0'. Its certainly not just you. Teddy Atlas has had allot to say about it. Between the two of you I beleive I respect your opionions more. I get that Wilders not textbook; people who say that this somwhow translates to him being a mediocre FIGHTER seem unable to account for the quantitative results. Wilder is awkward- Period. He's tall, fast, highly driven and he has the great equalizer like maybe about half dozen other guys ever born.
If Ruiz shows me something different or someone else not named Tyson Fury can manage to exploit all those shortcomings without getting knocked out cold, I'll change my tune. To my well traveled eye, over the past 5 dacades or so, I rank him, at least for now, more or less like this against his peers from the last half century:

1. Muhammad Ali
2. George Foreman
3. Lennox Lewis
4. Larry Holmes / Mike Tyson
5. Wladimir Klitschko
6.Tyson Fury
7. Joe Frazier
8. Deontay Wilder
9. Evander Holyfield
10.Vitali Klitschko
11.Anthony Joshua
12.Ken Norton
13.Rid**** Bowe
14.Jerry Quarry
15.Jimmy Young
16.Ron Lyle
17.Earnie Shavers
18.Ike Ibeabuchi
19.Joe Joyce
20.David Tua
21.Oleksandr Usyk
22.Luis Ortiz
23.Alexander Povetkin
24.Ray Mercer
25.Tommy Morrison

[Willow The Wisp]

- - 40 yr old Povetkin picked by Whyte out of the Shyte pile iced Whyte near death for 5 minutes before he came around, something Blubber couldn't do.

Povetkin no joke. Best Russian heavyweight ever.

[Willie Pep 229]

All this talk about skills, footwork, etc that Wilder lacks has come about in bulk since his trilogy with Fury when he lost his '0'. Its certainly not just you. Teddy Atlas has had allot to say about it. Between the two of you I beleive I respect your opionions more. I get that Wilders not textbook; people who say that this somwhow translates to him being a mediocre FIGHTER seem unable to account for the quantitative results. Wilder is awkward- Period. He's tall, fast, highly driven and he has the great equalizer like maybe about half dozen other guys ever born.
If Ruiz shows me something different or someone else not named Tyson Fury can manage to exploit all those shortcomings without getting knocked out cold, I'll change my tune. To my well traveled eye, over the past 5 dacades or so, I rank him, at least for now, more or less like this against his peers from the last half century:

1. Muhammad Ali
2. George Foreman
3. Lennox Lewis
4. Larry Holmes / Mike Tyson
5. Wladimir Klitschko
6.Tyson Fury
7. Joe Frazier
8. Deontay Wilder
9. Evander Holyfield
10.Vitali Klitschko
11.Anthony Joshua
12.Ken Norton
13.Rid**** Bowe
14.Jerry Quarry
15.Jimmy Young
16.Ron Lyle
17.Earnie Shavers
18.Ike Ibeabuchi
19.Joe Joyce
20.David Tua
21.Oleksandr Usyk
22.Luis Ortiz
23.Alexander Povetkin
24.Ray Mercer
25.Tommy Morrison

Do you know if Wilder and Breland make nice or is Breland still out?

[Dr. Z]

I think Weaver has a questionable chin, and yes he was prone to having off nights in his career. You can't have an off night nor a weak chin with Wilder. The guy can't box, but hes got good speed and other worldly power. I believe he would catch Mike and stretch him cold.

So does Wilder. They have that in common, however Weaver fought much better competition. Who did Wilder ever beat as good as these 1980's contenders listed? Just asking.

[JAB5239]

So does Wilder. They have that in common, however Weaver fought much better competition. Who did Wilder ever beat as good as these 1980's contenders listed? Just asking.

Weaver was stopped 12 times in 18 losses. 2 of the losses were at the end of his career and against all time greats Lewis and (old )Holmes. Take those fights out of the equation and he still has 10 ko losses out of his 16 defeats. In Wilders 2 losses he's been stopped twice by Tyson Fury. These are both prime losses. But besides Larry Holmes, Tyson is bigger and better than anyone else who stopped Weaver before being past prime. In other words, Weaver has been starched by lesser fighters and never fought a puncher like Wilder. So while I agree the Mike fought better fighter overall, he also lost to far lesser fighters as well, and by knockout.

[mrbig1]

All this talk about skills, footwork, etc that Wilder lacks has come about in bulk since his trilogy with Fury when he lost his '0'. Its certainly not just you. Teddy Atlas has had allot to say about it. Between the two of you I beleive I respect your opionions more. I get that Wilders not textbook; people who say that this somwhow translates to him being a mediocre FIGHTER seem unable to account for the quantitative results. Wilder is awkward- Period. He's tall, fast, highly driven and he has the great equalizer like maybe about half dozen other guys ever born.
If Ruiz shows me something different or someone else not named Tyson Fury can manage to exploit all those shortcomings without getting knocked out cold, I'll change my tune. To my well traveled eye, over the past 5 dacades or so, I rank him, at least for now, more or less like this against his peers from the last half century:

1. Muhammad Ali
2. George Foreman
3. Lennox Lewis
4. Larry Holmes / Mike Tyson
5. Wladimir Klitschko
6.Tyson Fury
7. Joe Frazier
8. Deontay Wilder
9. Evander Holyfield
10.Vitali Klitschko
11.Anthony Joshua
12.Ken Norton
13.Rid**** Bowe
14.Jerry Quarry
15.Jimmy Young
16.Ron Lyle
17.Earnie Shavers
18.Ike Ibeabuchi
19.Joe Joyce
20.David Tua
21.Oleksandr Usyk
22.Luis Ortiz
23.Alexander Povetkin
24.Ray Mercer
25.Tommy Morrison

I got to give it to you. You are right no one not name Fury has ever beat him. I have more respect for Wilder than AJ. Wilder started boxing late. He is one of many fighters who fall in love with their power and see no need for skill like a young Foreman. AJ has never recovered from being KO by Ruiz. Wilder can still learn and can still KO everyone in the top 10. AJ problem is in his head. Which is much harder to overcome.

[Dr. Z]

Weaver was stopped 12 times in 18 losses. 2 of the losses were at the end of his career and against all time greats Lewis and (old )Holmes. Take those fights out of the equation and he still has 10 ko losses out of his 16 defeats. In Wilders 2 losses he's been stopped twice by Tyson Fury. These are both prime losses. But besides Larry Holmes, Tyson is bigger and better than anyone else who stopped Weaver before being past prime. In other words, Weaver has been starched by lesser fighters and never fought a puncher like Wilder. So while I agree the Mike fought better fighter overall, he also lost to far lesser fighters as well, and by knockout.

I am saying he beat better fighters than Wilder. He certainly fought better fighters.

[JAB5239]

I am saying he beat better fighters than Wilder. He certainly fought better fighters.

He has beaten more technically sound fighters, not better. Wilder beats everyone Weaver beat, and a lot of who he lost to. Weaver was stopped 12 time and none of the hit as hard as Wilder.

[QueensburyRules]

He has beaten more technically sound fighters, not better. Wilder beats everyone Weaver beat, and a lot of who he lost to. Weaver was stopped 12 time and none of the hit as hard as Wilder.

- - Give Hercules titanium pins in his fists.....................that's all she wrote...

[Dr. Z]

He has beaten more technically sound fighters, not better. Wilder beats everyone Weaver beat, and a lot of who he lost to. Weaver was stopped 12 time and none of the hit as hard as Wilder.

I don't know about that. Neither and technically sound but Weaver has clearly beaten better fighters. If Wilder fought the same caliber as Weaver he has a few losses too. I'd give the edge in the fantasy match up to Wilder but it is a 60/40 type of fight.