Deontay Wilder Training Video Emerges- Fighting This Summer?
Former WBC Heavyweight Champ Deontay Wilder is back in training and curiosity about his next bout has begun to pick back up.
In a video posted Monday on Instagram by former Heavyweight fighter Malik Scott, who’s working in a co-trainer role with the “Bronze Bomber,” Wilder is shown working in his native Alabama on combinations and movement with Scott,
The 35 year old Wilder has been out of the ring, since his first pro loss in February of 2020. That’s when Tyson Fury dethroned him by 7th round TKO in their Las Vegas rematch.
That loss sent Wilder into a soap opera-like last year or so, outside of the ring. That has included him waiting for the third fight with Fury to happen last Fall, only to have it repeatedly delayed due to crowds not being able to attend.
Then, Wilder created his own controversy as he blasted Fury on social media on October 31st and outright accused the new champ of having hit him with a metal object inside of his right glove during their bout. Wilder also tried to shame Fury in the video, saying that he gave Fury the February rematch, when he didn’t have to do so. And, that the Gypsy King was somehow being disloyal in refusing to honor the rematch clause that was agree to prior to fight #2.
For his part, Fury fired back immediately that he won’t be fighting Wilder anytime soon, if ever, after the slanderous accusations he made. He said in a video interview in early November,
“Wilder has tried to bring my character down with the Bulls#*t he’s said. So, if I was like the rest of the world, I’d probably sue him for defamation of character for about $100 million. But, I’m not interested in doing that type of thing.
So, he’ll never get a shot at me, now.
Finished….for what he said. Losing is one thing. Everybody can lose to a better man. To come out with the amount of B.S. he’s come out with over the last 8 months? …He’s ridiculous. I don’t want to give him any air time.”
Fury subsequently agreed to fight Unified Heavyweight champ, Anthony Joshua, in a two fight mega-deal for the Undisputed crown. However, like the Wilder fight, it has been repeatedly delayed by the inability of anyone overseas being able to gauge when and where fans can attend in large numbers. So, now, Fury is likely looking to fight someone else this Summer.
As for Scott stepping in to help Wilder, this comes on the heels of his very public criticism and eventual firing of his longtime trainer, former U.S. Olympic Gold Medalist and World Welterweight champ, Mark Breland.
In the same social media post where he accused Fury of cheating, he blasted Breland, who had been in his corner for his entire rise to the WBC crown, publicly for the first time.
“In the end, it took a ‘crab in the bucket’ referee (Kenny Bayless) and a disloyal trainer (Breland) throwing the towel in, just to stop me,” Wilder barked on the video.
Wilder went on a podcast later that weekend and outright accused Breland of putting something to “spike my water” in between rounds. Wilder hinted that it was a muscle relaxer that weakened him as the fight continued.
He had previously informed Breland a few weeks earlier that their relationship was done.
For his part, Breland eventually broke his silence in February in a live podcast/show interview saying first he never had anything to do Wilder’s water or gave it to him in the corner and of Wilder’s WBC title wins,
“If I boxed the guys he boxed, I’d beat them. That’s the bottom line.”
When countered about Wilder’s good wins against Luis Ortiz, Breland corrected: “You say he had some ‘good wins’? A good win.
“Just that fight, that was it.”
When asked if Wilder has a jab, Breland answered: “No.
“He used the jab one time in that fight with Bermane Stiverne. That was it.”
Regarding Wilder’s training, Breland remarkably revealed: “No, he never hit the bag. He don’t hit the speed bag.
“He don’t jump rope, he don’t hit the speed bag and he don’t hit the heavy bag.”
Scott was actually a former opponent/quick victim of Wilder, who knocked him out in the first round of their March 2014 matchup. He has also previously worked in Wilder camps, as a sparring partner. And, obviously Wilder’s trust in him to help him has grown.
Now, we wait for the latest on when Wilder might be fighting next?
There is speculation that the former brief Unified champ, Andy Ruiz, who stunned Joshua with a TKO in June of 2019 only to lose the belts right back to him six months later, might be the Wilder comeback fight. Ruiz just beat veteran Chris Arreola by decision last week and both fighters have had their deals with Al Haymon and Premier Boxing Champions for years.
A veteran broadcaster of over 25 years, T.J. has been a fight fan longer than that! He’s the host of the “Big Fight Weekend” podcast and will go “toe to toe” with anyone who thinks that Marvin Hagler beat Sugar Ray Leonard or that Tyson, Lennox Lewis or Deontay Wilder could have beaten Ali!
