By: Hans Themistode
For 42 of Deontay Wilder’s 43 professional fights, he has been able to walk into a contest with the same game plan.
Hit the guy really hard.
It may sound both primal and simplistic, but it’s worked.
Deontay Wilder has arguably the biggest right hand the sport of boxing has ever seen. Simply put, whenever he touches his opponent, they fall. Just take a look at his last contest against Heavyweight contender Luis Ortiz. Wilder allowed the rounds to go by without producing much offense. Ortiz on the other hand, racked up the points. Yet, none of it mattered. The moment Wilder landed his right hand, the fight was over.
Wilder’s seemingly perfect game plan has worked against everyone so far. Well, other than Tyson Fury.
When the two first met back in December of 2018, Wilder threw everything he had at him. What resulted was Fury hitting the canvas not once, but twice. But he managed to get back to his feet and continue to fight.
As we approach their Heavyweight rematch, Wilder may need to dig a bit deeper if he wants to leave the MGM Grand arena with his WBC title still wrapped around his waist.
Keep reading to check out the keys to Wilder pulling off the win this Saturday night.
Throw The Jab
Much of the criticism that is thrown in the direction of Deontay Wilder is a bit unfair. His boxing ability is always scrutinized. Believe it or not, but Wilder is actually a good boxer. He also has a very good jab. He just seldom needs to use it.
For this fight against Tyson Fury, Wilder can’t simply depend on his power. Fury has already shown that he can take his best shot and keep going. Instead of relying on the power shots, Wilder should turn his attention to his jab. Keep the already awkward Fury at bay and keep him guessing. That in turn could and should lead to Wilder being able to land his money shot. The right hand.
Don’t Be Patient
Ironically enough, the reason why Wilder has looked even more devastating as of late is because of his patience. But against a fighter like Tyson Fury, he can’t afford that. Wilder has no problem letting the rounds and seconds tick by during his contests. It’s because he is always in search of the right hand. It isn’t a bad strategy, but it’s downright awful against Fury.
It’s already been established that Fury is the better boxer. If Wilder simply hangs back and allows Fury to build up a lead on the scorecards then he’ll have plenty of issues. For 8 and a half rounds, Fury was able to stay away from Wilder’s money punch. This time around, Wilder needs to throw punches in bunches and try to connect with something early.
Pressure
Tyson Fury might stand at 6 feet 7 inches and weigh roughly 270 pounds, but he isn’t the hardest hitting Heavyweight in the world. Not even close.
During the build up of their contest, Wilder has repeatedly said that Fury has “pillows for fists”. If that’s the case, then Wilder should jump all over him. Walk through the supposed soft hitting Fury and put the pressure on him. Don’t sit back and allow him to simply box. A more pressure based game plan could lead Wilder to a short nights work.