AJ Klitschko did amazing numbers worldwide. Why is Wilder not a star?

[Richard P]

you act as if there are a bunch of big names at HW, wilder and AJ will happen in 2018, all the other HWs are just now establishing themselves. the AJ Wlad fight was a business move plus a great opportunity for London. Not to mention AJ said he needed a few fights before wilder. DID YOU MISS THAT??? Fury has been on the shelf for 2 years. this means anyone who he fought outside of those names you all would scoff at outside of maybe Ortiz... everyone else is establishing themselves and will make sense late 2017 mid 2018. Nobody at HW has a great resume 2017-2018 should be the year of better fights at HW things take time. Wilder tried to fight a decent name but was cheated and hes called out everyone including AJ.

Behave, anyone can call anyone out, i can call out wilder, i can call out Charlie Zalenoff. Read any proper boxing books, autobiography's etc from promoters of the golden age and 80's/ early 90's. They all say the same thing, if you want to fight someone, the fight gets made, its much easier than you think

Boxing public/fans aint ******, Wilder was forgiven for taking an easy fight here and there, heck, all the greats have done it but over time, if you make the same mistakes, over and over and over, people become bored and disengaged with you.

I dont deny Wilder's power but in fights against Washington, Spilka he has looked very average, struggled against C level fighters and then just relies on a big KO against the grain from nowhere - this is not the behaviour of a champ.

You can say AJ's opposition has been poor, i agree his resume is not great but when he has fought those people, he has absolutely dominated them, blown them out, with the exception to maybe 2 rounds against Dillian Whyte and maybe 3 or 4 to Wld. He has barely lost a round as a heavyweight (champion behaviour)

You can not say the same about Wilder!

[Eff Pandas]

Whats the reason for americans being so offended easily? I recognize in many american news outlets and their respective commentary section that you cant say anything without someone being offended.

I'm probably too close to the situation as an American to fully pull in all the reasons, but attempting to always be as open minded as possible about any situation it does seem like there are some strong possibilities. One of which is there was unique period in the generation after mine, that I call the "pussificiation of America", that was largely about building self esteem for school age children. They were giving kids 12th place trophies, not scoring soccer & other athletic games ("everyone is a winner!!!") & making everyone's opinion hold value no matter how much sense it made or didn't make.

Growing up with that agenda pushed upon you at a young age is bound to make you super sensitive to all the injustices in the real adult world one will encounter post-HS & post-college that you've been at least somewhat insulated against previously. And now with kids still in school & still having that self esteem agenda pushed upon them + having so many social media outlets to voice your own obviously extremely important opinion since now you got all this confidence in yourself despite not knowing sh^t you can be outraged all day long about these wrong opinioned mfers who's greatest crime is not holding the same opinion as you.

That's what I think is a large part of it anyway, but I doubt its as simple as any one thing.

[uppercut510]

Behave, anyone can call anyone out, i can call out wilder, i can call out Charlie Zalenoff. Read any proper boxing books, autobiography's etc from promoters of the golden age and 80's/ early 90's. They all say the same thing, if you want to fight someone, the fight gets made, its much easier than you think

Boxing public/fans aint ******, Wilder was forgiven for taking an easy fight here and there, heck, all the greats have done it but over time, if you make the same mistakes, over and over and over, people become bored and disengaged with you.

I dont deny Wilder's power but in fights against Washington, Spilka he has looked very average, struggled against C level fighters and then just relies on a big KO against the grain from nowhere - this is not the behaviour of a champ.

You can say AJ's opposition has been poor, i agree his resume is not great but when he has fought those people, he has absolutely dominated them, blown them out, with the exception to maybe 2 rounds against Dillian Whyte and maybe 3 or 4 to Wld. He has barely lost a round as a heavyweight (champion behaviour)

You can not say the same about Wilder!

in his last fight it seemed to me like he waited on his opponent to get tired and then got him out of there. but lets hope bigger fights will be made in the future. Wilder will never be technically the best. he started late in boxing and is 6'7 hes doing the best with what he has. Joshuah needs work as well but im just happy that there are finally some names in the divison. Wilder was on the right path taking the provtk fight but things went south and he got injured. we will see

[BWC]

It's all about rivalries. The AJ vs Whyte pre-fight feud did a lot to raise awareness of AJ among casuals, same thing with Bellew/Haye. It takes more than shouting "Bombsquaaaaad" to captivate people.

I just think Wilder needs a compelling rivalry and he will be a big star in the US. I honestly think he's marketed fine, it's just his opponents don't set the imagination on fire. I mean Joshua fought the same total bums on his way up but but he was a national hero from the Olympics. Plus the Boxing media has always taken a very cynical approach to Wilder, often openly hostile. And boxing fans in the US have been burned by the Michael Grants and Seth Mitchells of the world. So they need a little more proving to really buy into the hype. Same way the Brits had Fraudley and Price letting them down. For some reason the Brits totally got over it though. HW Boxing is a funny thing like that..

[Chuckguy]

Because he stays fighting in po dunk Alabama

[just the facts]

because he fights bums, why would anyone be hyped about watching one of windmill wilders fights?

yet when someone applies this same logic to your love interest (g string), you cry like a little girl.

Btw, did you ever find that link that backs up your accusation of Andre Ward being a wife beater? Only a true low life scumbag ****sukker would accuse someone else of being a wife beater with ZERO proof and I'd hate to think you were that person, so could you please find that link?

[GhostofDempsey]

Whats the reason for americans being so offended easily? I recognize in many american news outlets and their respective commentary section that you cant say anything without someone being offended.

We are raising an entire generation of victims. Youth and adults are now taught to be offended by everything. Labels are quickly applied to anyone who is outspoken or whose opinion doesn't fall in line with the status quo. When the media, schools and universities, employers, etc., want to shut you down, you are labeled a racist, misogynist, ****phobe, xenophobe, bully, etc.

People now look for reasons to be offended. They are choosing victimhood in a society ruled by frivolous lawsuits and special interest groups with social and political agendas. It's a dangerous trend that escalating at an alarming rate.

[TMT Hassan]

wilder is the most overrated boxer imo.
just throws autistic swings/hammer fists in peoples faces, no technique at all. phoney fighter. aj deserves the popularity more than him because he is a better fighter than him, simples.

[redmish]

The Brits are very loyal boxing fans if they can produce a champion...and the Klitscko's created a dynasty in Germany. Mexicans are also really loyal fans. Wilder has done nothing really to capture the imaginations of American fans.

This is exactly right. It has nothing to do with his rubbish opponents. He hasn't caught the public's imagination. You seen a clip of Tyson in the 80s and it was incredible to watch, KO power with speed and skill to match. Wilder has the power but he doesn't have much else in my opinion. A couple of big wins might change that though.

[Dark Destroyer]

Wilder was in the crowd Saturday night and Joshua calls out fury.. I found that a little odd but maybe he's looking for the crowd pulling fights