Deontay Wilder: I’m faster and stronger than Joshua

Boxingnews24.com

By Scott Gilfoid: After analyzing Anthony Joshua’s talent level, WBC heavyweight champion Deontay ‘Bronze Bomber” Wilder (39-0, 38 KOs) has determined that he’s faster, stronger and more mobile than him.

Wilder says he cannot wait to get Joshua (20-0, 20 KOs) inside the ring in 2018, so that he can dethrone him and take his IBF and WBA heavyweight titles from him.

“My movement and speed is definitely faster,” said Wilder to Yahoo Sports News in comparing his hand speed to Joshua’s. “I hit harder than him. My IQ in the ring is definitely smarter than his too. He throws combinations better, technique-wise he’s better, but styles make fights,” said Wilder.

I don’t think there’s any real question that Wilder is the bigger puncher and the faster guy compared to Joshua. All you need to do is look at what Wilder did to Bermane Stiverne in his last fight on November 4 to see how much more powerful he is compared to Joshua. Wilder knocked Stiverne clean out in the 1st round of their fight on Showtime Boxing at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Each time Wilder would land one of his howitzer right hands, Stiverne would go down. Wilder’s punches were like grenade blasts each time he would connect to the head of Stiverne. In contrast, Joshua was hitting his last opponent Carlos Takam with right hands and left hooks all night long last October, and yet the only time he knocked him down was in the 4th round due to him suffering a cut. Takam would have stayed on his feet if he wasn’t cut in the 4th. If those same shots that Joshua was landing on Takam were thrown by Deontay, I don’t think he would have made it out of round 1.

Wilder, 32, wants to show the boxing world what he’s made of by fighting Joshua and ending his 20-fight winning streak this year. The two huge heavyweights are considered the best in the division by a lot of boxing fans. Wilder has a big test in front of him in Luis ‘King Kong’ Ortiz (28-0, 24 KOs) on the 3rd of March at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

If Wilder beats Ortiz with flying colors, then you can say that he’s at least one of the two best heavyweights in the world. Joshua will be fighting WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker on March 31 in the UK. The winner of that fight will be the other top heavyweight in the division. It’s expected that Wilder and Joshua will emerge victorious from their next fights. They can then face each other in a big unification fight in the summer, as long as the match can get made.

We’re going to learn a lot about Joshua and Wilder’s punching power in their next fights against Parker and Ortiz. Wilder can cement himself in as the better puncher of the two if he destroys Ortiz in a highlight reel knockout. If Joshua struggles to get Parker out of there, he’s not going to be seen as the puncher Wilder is by the boxing media and fans. There’s nothing wrong with Joshua not having the speed, punching power, athleticism or the mobility that Wilder possesses. Joshua can still be a successful heavyweight, as we’re seeing right now with him holding down the IBF and WBA heavyweight titles.