They say punching power is the last thing to leave a fighter. Deontay Wilder better hope that’s the case.
From the moment he first burst onto the heavyweight scene, the towering American didn’t rely so much on footwork or boxing fundamentals. He had one weapon – arguably the most devastating the sport has ever seen – and he built his career around it.
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That whipping right hand.
It bailed him out of trouble, flattened opponents and, over one stretch, helped him rack up an impressive 10 successive WBC title defences.
As famed boxing trainer Teddy Atlas puts it, Wilder has “eraser power” – the kind that can wipe out 11 rounds of good work by his opponent in a single swipe.
And yet, heading into this week’s showdown with British star Derek Chisora at London’s O2 Arena, Wilder finds himself in a position that would have been pretty much unthinkable just a few years ago.
He’s the underdog.
That’s because Chisora hasn’t tasted defeat since 2022, while “The Bronze Bomber” has managed just three wins from his past seven fights.
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 15: Deontay Wilder knocks out Robert Helenius in the first roundduring their WBC world heavyweight title eliminatorSource: Getty Images
Haunted by Fury
The reality is, Wilder’s career has never quite recovered from his epic trilogy of bouts with another Englishman, Tyson Fury.
Wilder was battered and eventually stopped twice. And although he showed heart and played his part in what is regarded as one of the greatest boxing trilogies of all-time, the aura that once surrounded him also took a beating.
It’s not something the American likes to talk about, either, as highlighted by his explosive reactions to journalists asking about those fights.
Wilder has claimed his water was “tampered with” and that Fury fought with “something in his gloves” – allegations that shocked the boxing world.
Latest opponent Chisora believes Wilder’s losses in the second and third meetings with Fury, after an initial draw, left deep scars.
“I think Tyson gave Deontay [Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder],” he told YouTube show Inside The Ring earlier this week.
“In London, we tried to speak about Tyson and he went nuts on Simon Jordan. We tried to speak about Tyson today, with Piers Morgan, and he went nuts as well.
“Tyson has given him PTSD.”
To his credit, Wilder has sought professional help in dealing with the mental hangups apparently caused by the trilogy of clashes.
He told The Ring magazine in 2025: “I had to take a wellness check for my career and life in general. I sought a sports psychologist.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – FEBRUARY 22: Tyson Fury knocks down Deontay Wilder during their Heavyweight bout for Wilder’s WBC and Fury’s lineal heavyweight title on February 22, 2020 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“I didn’t tell my team about anything because, in my mind, I wanted to say that I was strong enough to get myself back together… But, unfortunately, that wasn’t the case and I needed help.
“I am so much better now with my mindset… I’m physically healthy and have my mental health back, too. A lot has happened to me, but God is good. I am ready to go.”
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Fighting until 50?
Indeed, the last thing Wilder appears to be considering is the idea of hanging up the gloves.
Now 40, with his best years seemingly behind him, many had wondered if this showdown with Chisora could be the final chapter for the US star. Not in his mind.
“I got 10 years left,” Wilder insisted during an appearance on combat-sports podcast The Ariel Helwani Show.
“Will I commit fully to that or not? … Most definitely [I can]. You’ve got to understand, in the heavyweight division, we tend to go a little bit longer than the rest.
“Being the bigger guys, the division is not as packed… We don’t take as much damage as the smaller guys.”
It’s perhaps an unusual stance from Wilder, but then, the wiry 6’7” phenom has always been somewhat unusual, from his relatively late start in boxing at age 20 to his absurd power.
LONDON, ENGLAND – APRIL 01: Deontay Wilder poses for a photo ahead of his Heavyweight fight against Derek ChisoraSource: Getty Images
Dangerous Del Boy
By contrast, the slightly older Chisora (42) – aka “Del Boy” – has said he will retire after the Wilder showdown, which will be his 50th professional fight.
And, stylistically, he does pose potential problems for “The Bronze Bomber”.
Chisora presses forward with a high guard, has a steady output of punches and makes his opponents work hard.
He’s also shown he possesses one of the best chins in the game – having been thoroughly tested by Vitali Klitschko, Dillian Whyte, Oleksandr Usyk and – that man again – Fury.
Even so, Chisora’s sparring partners admit they are worried about Wilder’s mighty right.
“[Derek’s] definitely conscious of the things that he has in front of him right now with Wilder,” training partner Bryant Jennings told The Sun newspaper.
“And you know, we’re all conscious. Wilder is the hardest puncher we’ve ever seen with our own two eyes.
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“Like [former British world boxing champ David Haye] said, the one-punch type of guy. And we’re concerned, or worried.”
Which is always the case with Deontay Wilder. Or at least it was before the Fury trilogy. And even with the current questions about his age, his run of form and whether his mindset is truly back to 100%, one thing remains…
That whipping right hand.