Can Deontay Wilder Become a Household Name?

Can Deontay Wilder Become a Household Name?

By Matt Benoliel

June 1, 2019. With so much great talent spanning all the weight classes today, there remains to be seen one fighter who is an actual household name.  In past decades, before anyone used terms like “branding,” and fights were accessible to anyone who owned a television set, the champions were revered. Sugar Ray Leonard appeared on The Great Space Coaster, a kid’s TV show, Muhammad Ali on a box of Wheaties, not to mention he had his own brand of shoe polish (!). And of course, the George Foreman Grill.  I first heard of Sonny Liston on an episode of The Munsters.  

I get that Bart Simpson probably cannot pronounce Vasyl Lomachenko, but it is high time for a new role model to emerge from the world of boxing. Throughout history, the biggest names came from the heavyweight division: Louis, Marciano, Liston, Ali, Foreman, Frazier, Holmes, Tyson, Bowe, Holyfield, et cetera, so it’s only natural to start from there.  Which brings us to The Bronze Bomber, Deontay Wilder.

Sure, many being fans and sports writers and Twitter users are upset that Wilder just announced that his next two fights would be against Luis Ortiz and Tyson Fury, instead of Anthony Joshua. But I am not most fans. Personally, I like what Wilder is doing, and I can wait to see a match against Joshua. Here’s why:

First and foremost, I believe Wilder to be a man of his word, and I want him to write his own story. So far, he can not be accused of ducking opponents, and he certainly has done nothing to draw comparisons to Floyd Mayweather. He has chosen to fight two opponents who are by no means easy victories for him. Additionally, he has proven that he can connect with his community when speaking about controversial topics. Check out his interview with Radio Rahim of SecondsOut on August 17, 2018. Taking that interview and others into account, Deontay Wilder deserves more of a comparison to Muhammad Ali than to Floyd Mayweather.  And especially if he ends up grabbing AJ’s belts within the next two years. 

In a recent interview with the Los Angeles Times, Wilder said the following about the upcoming Ortiz fight:

 “The ones who hate this, I understand that because they want Wilder-Joshua. Everyone is impatient. They want what they want, but knowing I’m the most exciting heavyweight in the world, you’ll still watch the [Ortiz] fight, no matter what, because I bring the drama and the pain. You know Ortiz is going to get up for this big fight. We saw it with me. Every fighter who goes against me gives it their best because they’re going in there with a killer. You only get exciting fights, and that’s what I want to bring to the world.”

So yes, most of the fans want to see Wilder-Joshua, and yes, fight fans are impatient. They want what they want, and when they don’t get it, they whine. They do it in the press, they do it on TV, they do it on Twitter, and they do it at the actual fights.  Witness the booing in some of the early rounds of Wilder-Ortiz I, when the fans perceived a lull in the action. It makes you wonder why the crowd at Yankee Stadium doesn’t do the same between every single pitch. Oh right, because that’s when the strategy happens. Of course, I can see fans booing when one fighter is clearly avoiding the fight, constantly backpedaling, or not throwing any punches. But when a guy like Ortiz, who was coming forward throughout that whole fight, standing his ground even when he was in trouble, against a guy like Deontay Wilder, who is taller, arguably more athletic, and has a big reach advantage, not to mention a cannon of a right hand, you have to respect that. Take all the time you need Ortiz.  Both fighters took some huge shots in that fight. Doubts about Wilder’s chin were dispelled. Ortiz took some right hands that would have leveled most other fighters in the division. Do we know if AJ can take those shots? Not yet, but we will, because Deontay-Joshua will happen. In the meantime, Wilder is on a mission. And while some, including Sports Illustrated, may think his path will follow Floyd Mayweather’s, I do not.  

Wilder is correct in saying that he is the most exciting heavyweight in the world, and likewise, everyone will tune in to watch the rematch against Ortiz. Round 7 of the first fight was one of the most exciting rounds in boxing this past year.

And then Wilder wants a rematch against Tyson Fury next. Again, if this is the fight Wilder wants, if he wants to set all his “controversial” fights straight, then this is the fight he should take. It’s Deontay’s legacy on the line. It’s his health on the line. It’s his story he needs to tell. This is not about one fighter ducking another. Wilder should not settle for less than a 50-50 purse split. Yes, Anthony Joshua can fill Wembley Stadium, but unless they are charging $2,000 a seat, a Wilder vs. Joshua fight would draw a lot more money on pay per-view.

Now if Deontay were to win that Superfight, and his fanbase were to become world-wide, even replacing AJ as the Brits favorite, and he refrains from making statements about wanting a “kill” on his record, I think the outspoken Wilder could become that role model type of athlete and at least earn the next open spot on a box of Wheaties.