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Right. But Vitali was often more aggressive than his brother. He didn’t load up on his punches but he’d put it on you all night. So ud often get hit more times over a course of a fight, and in the end absorb more force overall. Vitali could go to the body and land uppercuts unlike his brother. So even without the same power I understand how Vitali handed out beatings.Comment
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It’s not Shavers, between Foreman and Wilder I’d give the edge to Foreman against the largest heavies. Foreman is high payload, Wilder is high velocity.Comment
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They all hit very hard. I'd say Foreman 1st, Wilder 2nd and Shavers 3rd.Comment
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If Deontay wasn't built like an NBA player do you think he'd pack even more punch?Comment
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Richard Towers a guy who sparred with all of em said Wilder by far hits hardest.
What a heavyweight boxer has said about sparring with Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder
Published 11 months ago Add your comment
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Richard Towers has shared a boxing ring with many talented heavyweights.
Towers, who trains young boxers out of Dave Coldwell’s Rotherham gym, has been brought in to spar with Anthony Joshua, Wladimir Klitschko and Deontay Wilder.
So there aren’t many better to share some insight into what it’s like to face the aforementioned names.
Towers sparred with Joshua during his preparations for the 2012 Olympics, back when AJ was a relative no-name in sport.
“With Joshua, because I was quite elusive it was always even,” Towers told Boxing News this week.
“Joshua were uptight and tense, and he caught me with a check-hook on the temple. He put me down; I got back up and we did another few rounds. He never hurt me."
Towers has spent many sessions with Wilder, whom he regards as a friend. And he still remembers their encounters.
Towers sparred with Wilder
“I remember him just throwing a right hand and not meaning to put anything into it, the speed – until you get in there you don’t realise – and that’s the same for his power,” the 6ft 8ins Towers said about the American.
“There’s no comparison to Deontay’s power, even with Wladimir – who tortured me when I first sparred him – and David Haye,” Towers added.
“You can’t make one mistake with Deontay because he hits that hard; he’s more agile than any big man I’ve seen.
"He hit me with a right hand just above me temple – we had 20oz gloves on – and it wobbled me and I remember my left leg felt really heavy.
"For two weeks after that, I had a terrible pain, like somebody had a hot knife in the bottom of my foot and it was shooting up my leg."
Towers and Wilder were both drafted in to help David Haye prepare for his fight against Tyson Fury in 2013, which was eventually cancelled.
Footage of Haye's sparring session with Wilder is available to watch online, and it appears to show the Brit handling Wilder’s flailing punches rather successfully.
According to Towers though, that wasn’t the case.
“His chin, I’ve hit him clean on the chin, and watched David Haye catch him clean on the gym; he wiped the floor with David,” Towers added.
Deontay Wilder v Luis Ortiz
All of this will certainly come as a warning to Joshua, who is currently in negotiations with Wilder and his team over a potential fight.
Joshua, the IBF, WBA (Super), IBO and WBO heavyweight champion, is eager to add Wilder’s WBC belt to his collection.
Joshua is a much more mature boxer than he was when Towers sparred with him, but the message remains.
Wilder will be his toughest challenge yet.Comment
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