How Will Deontay Wilder Be Remembered?

Now that few days have passed, and we had a little more time to digest the greatness we witnessed last Saturday when Deontay Wilder clashed against “The Gypsy King.” One question will be lingering as time passes; it’s plain and simple, how will “The Bronze Bomber” be remembered?

We as humans tend to fall for recency bias, which is understandable, but when it comes to the man who inspired me for many years when it comes to mental strength (Deontay Wilder), let’s try to paint the complete picture and then conclude where his legacy lies.

It is only suitable to do so after the cinematic shootout he(Wilder) participated in last Saturday. So, first of all, let’s rewind to how it all started.

A young Deontay Wilder(20) was blessed and challenged at once when he found out that his newly born daughter at the time was diagnosed with Spina Bifida.

That moment right there was either going to ignite a burning desire inside “The Bronze Bomber,” or it was going to be too much too early for the Tuscaloosa-born. In Wilder’s first character-building test, he rose to the occasion, and his purposeful journey began.

“I never looked for trouble, but trouble always seemed to find me.”
-Deontay Wilder

At that time, the only reputation Wilder had was in the streets of Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Deontay was known for his nuclear power from his fair share of street fights. And with Wilder being in desperation mode to provide for his daughter, the boxing gym was his only key to salvation.

It takes an exceptional individual to qualify for the Olympics, and not only did Wilder make it to the 2008 U.S team, but he made it only after training for less than 3 years. That says something.

Even though Deontay Wilder placed third in the 2008 Olympics, it was a colossal confidence booster for “The Bronze Bomber,” knowing that he’s on the correct path to the sport’s summit.

Five years after turning pro, Wilder secured his first title shot for the prestigious WBC title against Bermane Stiverne. That fight marked the first time in Wilder’s career to ever hear the final bell.

Still, Wilder dismantled Stiverne for 12 rounds and proved that he could comfortably go to the distance. Lastly, as Deontay promised his daughter, he became a world champion.

After becoming a champion, Wilder defended his title successfully 10 times in 5 years. However, Wilder’s career trajectory was about to take a rapid turn as he was about to meet the man that was about to shake the entire sport, let alone Wilder’s career, and that man is non-other than “The Gypsy King.”

As documented, Wilder went to a draw against Fury the first time around. However, prior to the first bell of their first fight, Tyson Fury successfully managed to disrupt the most potent weapon in The Bronze Bomber’s arsenal, his mindset.

After the draw, Wilder blamed the referee(Jack Reese) for giving Fury an extended time to rise from the 12th round devastating knockdown. Moreover, Wilder accused Fury of having baby oil on his body which made him ‘slippery’ in the fight…

You can understand where Wilder is coming from: up to that point, he faced 40 men and knocked out every single one of them before meeting Fury.

So, it’s understandable for Wilder’s ego to have a hard time accepting that he got outboxed by the man he picked when Fury was at his lowest. In the second fight, however, is where everything started to fall apart…

When both men entered the squared circle, it was evident that Wilder didn’t look comfortable. And as everyone knows, Tyson Fury annihilated Wilder in one of the most one-sided title fights in heavyweight history.

Wilder lost, and it was OKAY because it’s nearly impossible to perform at your best throughout all your fights. After all, we’re simply humans. However, after that loss, Deontay Wilder’s legacy took the biggest dive with all the excuses he listed on why he lost to Fury.

Here’s a list of the excuses Deontay Wilder publicized after his loss:

1- The walkout suit was too heavy
2- Injured right hand
3- Fury had no padding in his gloves
4- Fury scratched his ear with his fingernails
5- Fury had egg weights in his gloves
6- Fury used ‘Voodoo’ and ‘Black Magic’ to win
7- His trainer spiked his water with a muscle relaxer
8- Referee Kenny Bayless was paid off to help Fury win
9- Fury was on PEDs
10- The Vegas athletic commission helped Fury cheat in the locker room to beat Wilder
11- The fight was stopped early
And the list goes on and on and on…

30 years from now, or even 50 years from now, Wilder’s list of excuses will forever be a headscratcher for everyone who hears them. All that being said, what really happened to Deontay Wilder that night?

What really happened:

That night, Wilder definitely didn’t look like himself, and the truth behind it all might be a surprise to the casual viewer. The truth about Deontay Wilder that night is simple; he folded under the bright lights that night.

The buildup to their second fight was massive. And even though Wilder seemed relaxed throughout the buildup, the final moments before walking out to the ring are when a fighter wins or loses the mental battle.

The moment was too big for Wilder, and it’s OKAY because, as humans, we all have bad days at the office. We all wake up on the wrong side of the bed every now and then. However, Wilder’s ego was just too big for him to admit how heavy the crown was that night.

Wilder changed his tactics, mindset and team for the third fight. And as we’ve all seen, the bout was one of the most dramatic wars in the sport’s history. Still, Wilder was knocked out again by arguably the greatest heavyweight to ever lace a pair.

How will Deontay Wilder be remembered?

I can only speak for myself. Deontay Wilder is one of the most inspirational men I’ve had the honour of hearing and watching. The way Wilder started his journey with a purpose that was more potent than anyone could ever fathom speaks volumes about his character and ability to persevere when times turned tough.

Who is Deontay Wilder? Well, he’s a beautiful human with a beautiful soul and a contagious smile with energy that lights up the darkest alleys.

That’s the Wilder that inspired me alongside many more individuals to speak things into existence and to never lose faith in God’s plans. That’s the real Deontay. However, the real Deontay left when he shared the ring with Fury.

An ugly side of him took over in the last 2 years where his ego took over his spirit, going into ego protection mode, which made him stay in denial, resulting in draining his energy and spirit.

It’s tough not to admit that Wilder’s mind-blowing excuses didn’t tarnish his legacy. However, in my eyes, Deontay Wilder will go down as the hardest puncher to ever lace a pair, and also as the second-best heavyweight of our era.

Moreover, Wilder unquestionably deserves to be included in the all-time greats bracket, maybe not in the top 3, but he definitely belongs on that prestigious list.

After all, Deontay Wilder WILL be remembered, regardless of the ‘why.’ You and I are extremely fortunate to witness those larger-than-life heavyweights put everything on the line.

The psychology of a fighter is fascinating, let alone the psychology of the hardest puncher in history, and he goes by the name Deontay Wilder.