Deontay Wilder is definitely one of the most powerful knockout artists that the heavyweight division has ever seen. He’s definitely not technically the best boxer, but it doesn’t matter if you carry the touch of death. 40 of his 41 wins have now come via knockout. That’s a terrifying record.
‘The Bronze Bomber’ looks set to take on Tyson Fury in a rematch early next year. After beating Luis Ortiz for the second time, the pathway for that fight is now clear. He fought the ageing Cuban in Las Vegas and knocked him out in the seventh round.
But this fight definitely didn’t go all Wilder’s way. His team will definitely be concerned by the way he was outpointed up until the knockout. Tyson Fury might be the happier man tonight. He will get his rematch against Wilder who can definitely be outboxed. Check out the highlights below.
DEONTAY WILDER. ONE SHOT KO!!
😱😱😱
pic.twitter.com/EYBPHgMGcL— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) November 24, 2019
Knockout
The fact that Ortiz was up 59-55 on two scorecards and 58-56 on the other judge’s says a lot about this fight. He was by far the more technical of the two fighters. Both men started slow and Ortiz was able to use his jab to confuse his opponent. The Cuban’s technical ability had befuddled his American opponent. In fact, he couldn’t land a punch in the fifth round. However, Wilder found the answer in the seventh stanza.
Wilder smashed him unconscious in blistering fashion. It was a devastating one-punch knockout that had boxing critics lauding the Alabama native.
Scary power from Deontay Wilder. Here's the knockout! 😮😮😮 #WilderOrtiz2 pic.twitter.com/Vgi9X51FXO
— Chris Burke (@chrisburke) November 24, 2019
Technique
The American boxer explained why he was so cautious in the early rounds. In short, he respect Ortiz’s power and technical ability. He didn’t want to get caught or manipulated into a mistake. So he waited and waited for his moment until it came. Not many fighters can stand up to that punching power.
“With Ortiz, you can see why no other heavyweight wants to fight him,” Wilder said. “He’s very crafty. He moves strategically, and his intellect is very high. I had to measure him in certain places. I had to go in and out, and finally, I found my measurement.”
Deontay Wilder's entrance attire is… something
(via @PBConFOX)pic.twitter.com/QyZWyaOmsT
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) November 24, 2019
Power
The Bronze Bomber believes that many of his fellow fighters underestimate his boxing intellect. While he isn’t as technical as Ortiz or unconventional as Fury, he’s excellent at finding an opening to land that power punch. The problem is that against a top heavyweight in their prime he may get dissected before that lands. Arguably his only elite competition was Fury and Ortiz.
“I saw the shot, and I took it,” Wilder said. “My intellect is very high in the ring, and no one gives me credit for me. I think I buzzed him with a left hook earlier in the round, and I took it from there.”
Only time will tell whether or not he’ll be able to beat Fury 2.0. He almost knocked ‘The Gypsy King’ out in their first meeting. But most people believe that the UK fighter should have won by decision. Can he knock out Fury for real next year?
