Deontay Wilder’s knockout power was his infamous weapon, and now his ex-trainer and opponent has revealed how it felt to take his punch.
The American, at one time, was one of the most feared champions in all of boxing with the ability to shut any opponent’s lights out with his one-punch power.
His reign as the WBC champion saw him make ten successful defences before being given a taste of his own medicine when he lost by knockout to Tyson Fury.
Fury’s seventh-round knockout of Wilder in their rematch overshadowed the controversial split decision draw from two years prior.
Deontay Wilder’s ex-trainer and opponent who sparred with Lennox Lewis reveals the extent of his power
Since his first career defeat, ‘The Bronze Bomber’ has become a shell of his former self, with only two wins in his last five fights.
But it is hard to take away the run he had before his encounters with the British boxing legend, during which he amassed a 40-0 record with 39 knockouts.
His former trainer, Malik Scott, was one of those 39 opponents who suffered a crushing first-round defeat in 2014, and he experienced that same power throughout his four years as his head coach.
In an interview with First Round TV, Scott explained: “Deontay was blessed with that power. I’m saying it from a place of experience of seeing what he has done to fighters with 18 to 20 oz gloves on, feeling what he has done to me with 18 to 20 oz gloves on.
“Just seeing how he operated through so many training camps and fights with fighters that have never been put in the mannerisms that his power has put them in.”
The famous finishes against Dominic Breazeale and Luis Ortiz are just two examples from his highlight reel career.
A former sparring partner of the ex-undisputed heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis, Scott revealed his power was very different from his experiences with Deontay’s shots.
“I’ve been hit so many times um by you could say big punchers. I used to spar with Lennox and spar with Wladimir Klitschko. Deontay’s power gets there so quickly with the heavy hands,” he said.
“It’s always hard to explain. You got some people that say it feels like a truck, some people say it feels like a bat, I just know it feels like something that I’ve never experienced at that time.”
Deontay Wilder directly responds to former UFC star Francis Ngannou’s boxing callout
While he may possess the power in the boxing ring, in the UFC Octagon, it is Francis Ngannou who was known for his insane finishes.
Ngannou tagged the former heavyweight champion in a social media video last week, with the caption: “It’s time to finally settle the debate.”
Now Wilder has given his own social media response by sharing a video of himself hitting pads with the caption: “Respect, but I’m ten toes down. No fear, no fold, no fake… Always ready, always solid. Step in the ring and you’ll see what that means.”
This contest would be a very intriguing fight, given that the Alabama fighter has not impressed recently and the Cameroonian has not fought since a knockout loss to Anthony Joshua in 2024.