Did people forget how bad Wilder looked?

[////]

Wilder has gone from bad to decent. Being chased around by an overrated to begin with + dangerously ill Stiverne wasn't a very impressive victory to me. That was one of the worst HW fights I've seen in a while.

Szpilka was a much more meaningful display of progress. Not great but better. We can finally consider him a legitimate heavyweight contender, nothing more nothing less.

[Clegg]

I thought he looked good against Duhaupas despite the level of opponent. But against Szpilka he didn't control the distance as well, his balance was worse especially during exchanges, from memory I felt like after missing vs Duhaupas, he brought his hands back to the right position faster/more often than he did vs Szpilka. In terms of his offense, it looked good in both fights. Some great combos vs Duhaupas who has a hell of a chin. He throws some real sickening looking body shots, he missed one against Szpilka that looked like it would've split a liver in half if it'd landed.

Neither guy is on Povetkin's level, but in general I feel slightly less confident in his ability to control that fight now than I did a month ago. Can he land enough on the outside to make Povetkin think twice about coming in too aggressively? Sure, I think he'll win some rounds that way. But he'll be missing some of those shots, leaving openings. I'm also not sure he can get the better of things once it gets inside, Wlad clinched the **** out of this guy, Wilder doesn't have that approach, he'll be fighting back and when he does he might do serious damage or he might miss, be off balance, open and get caught. Considering how hard both guys hit either could win by KO after being behind on points. Wilder hits harder but is sloppier and makes more mistakes. Can't wait for the fight it feels like a real 50/50.

[SkillspayBills]

He got lit up by a cherry he picked, on 5 weeks notice.

people have low standards for wilder, it seems

Serious question, why do you hate Wilder so much? Sheesh you have an ax to grind with that mother****er lol.

[fourtheboys96]

Wilder has the physical (height, length and power) tools.
Skills-wise, he sucks.

[Teddy05]

Serious question, why do you hate Wilder so much? Sheesh you have an ax to grind with that mother****er lol.

He makes a point though. Why do we treat wilder like hes a young prospect when hes a 30 year old heavyweight champ?

[Fury4daWIN]

I thought he looked good against Duhaupas despite the level of opponent. But against Szpilka he didn't control the distance as well, his balance was worse especially during exchanges, from memory I felt like after missing vs Duhaupas, he brought his hands back to the right position faster/more often than he did vs Szpilka. In terms of his offense, it looked good in both fights. Some great combos vs Duhaupas who has a hell of a chin. He throws some real sickening looking body shots, he missed one against Szpilka that looked like it would've split a liver in half if it'd landed.

Neither guy is on Povetkin's level, but in general I feel slightly less confident in his ability to control that fight now than I did a month ago. Can he land enough on the outside to make Povetkin think twice about coming in too aggressively? Sure, I think he'll win some rounds that way. But he'll be missing some of those shots, leaving openings. I'm also not sure he can get the better of things once it gets inside, Wlad clinched the **** out of this guy, Wilder doesn't have that approach, he'll be fighting back and when he does he might do serious damage or he might miss, be off balance, open and get caught. Considering how hard both guys hit either could win by KO after being behind on points. Wilder hits harder but is sloppier and makes more mistakes. Can't wait for the fight it feels like a real 50/50.

I dig your opinion of the Wilder Povetkin fight. Either man has a great chance to win, and it'll ultimately boil down to who can avoid the other's shots to land their own. Povetkin's an overall more skilful fighter than Wilder (more well schooled, better amateur pedigree, crisper technique) but he's hardly the world's most elusive target, and tends to need to get on the inside to do real damage. On the outside he's decidedly average, and quite prone to jabs and right hands, two punches which Wilder throws really, really well. If Wilder uses a similar gameplan to the Stiverne fight he can really do a number on Povetkin, who's tough but not unhurtable. On the other hand, if he tries to brawl it out with Povetkin he's leaving himself very open to a devastating shot from one of the best combination punchers in the division. He might well have success as well, though given Povetkin's experience in these types of situations I'd favour him to land the more telling blows.

[LacedUp]

If they beat Duhaupas then sure I'd agree with that. Joshua's nearly there already, and Parker just needs a name win to propel him into the top ten.

Who the hell made the belgian wafflemaker the gatekeeper?

[LacedUp]

Maybe, but Parker has yet to fight anyone on his level, and Joshua just had a shock against the untested Whyte. Duhaupas ain't great, but he's one of those guys who's always going to give guys of a certain level a test due to his meat and potatoes style.

I suppose then you are including Wilder at that level since he definitely gave him a test?

That guy would be sparked cold by a Haye or Joshua or Klitschko in 3 rounds or less.

[Earl-Hickey]

Serious question, why do you hate Wilder so much? Sheesh you have an ax to grind with that mother****er lol.

So many reasons

He's manufactured

He got given an easy road to a title

His title defences are shams

He is ducking his mandatory

His fans are vegetables

I could go on and on

[Fury4daWIN]

Who the hell made the belgian wafflemaker the gatekeeper?

He's a solid, consistently performing opponent with the sort of no-risk style that will give fighters problems if they can't handle the basic things he brings. In other words he gives us a certain yardstick against which to measure otherwise unknown quan****** like prospects coming up. I'm not saying he beats any of the guys you mentioned, only that he's a good litmus test for exposing any flaws fighters might have.