Maidana vs Alexander Undercard: Deontay Wilder Returning With Worst Opponent Yet
by Scott Christ on Feb 21, 2012 6:28 PM EST
in Boxing Commentary & Opinion
Email
Print
Deontay Wilder, the 26-year-old American heavyweight prospect from Alabama, is returning to the ring this Saturday in Missouri on the Maidana vs Alexander undercard, and though he's been protected so far in his pro career, Golden Boy Promotions is taking it to a new low with this matchup.
Wilder (20-0, 20 KO) is facing Marlon Hayes (23-10, 11 KO). Right there the record isn't so bad -- a journeyman, you might be thinking, or a gatekeeper. But that's not the case at all. This is a fight that the Missouri commission shouldn't even be sanctioning, and that Golden Boy should be ashamed of putting together.
Here are the issues:
- Marlon Hayes is 40 years old.
- Marlon Hayes is 5'9". Wilder is 6'7". That's a ten-inch height difference. It's such a height difference, we might as well round it up to a foot.
- Marlon Hayes has lost five straight fights. He is 3-10 in his last 13 fights.
- He hasn't fought since October of 2007. This is such a long break, we might as well round it up to five years out of the ring.
- Marlon Hayes is a light heavyweight who last fought as a cruiserweight, and has fought as low as middleweight.
- Marlon Hayes was never more than a club fighter.
There is an argument, and I had it on Twitter, that Wilder is still learning on the job. I argue he's not learning much of anything. When a fighter is this badly hidden away, which comes with simultaneous hype, there is a problem, and his matchmakers and handlers know that there's a problem. Wilder has not even taken half a risk thus far, and this is such a bottom of the barrel fight that it defies any logic. What possible good comes from Deontay Wilder beating up a 40-year-old guy who hasn't fought in half a decade and is a foot shorter than him? Other than the ability to say after the fight, "Deontay Wilder is now 21-0 with 21 knockouts! What a prospect!"
He's not really a prospect at this point. He's a club fighter with hype. I'm not saying he'll never be a real prospect, or can't ever be a potential contender, but the only differences between Deontay Wilder and any other guy running up a see-through record are a bronze medal and a power promoter.
19 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
So this is what happened to Wilder. I actually wondered about this, once in a while.
Since the choice of picture for this article was carefully considered, I think it would make a great fight poster, after a garish false-color rendering.
Maybe we should talk sometime about what’s wrong with boxing …
Just when ideas fail, words crop up.
--- Goethe, Faust
Devil's Advocate
Let me first say that I agree with you on this, but this is just to play devil’s advocate.
This journeyman has taken on competition that is at a much much higher level than Wilder. He has taken both Robert Stieglitz and Jaidon Codrington the distance (Only 8 rounds in the Stieglitz fight). His last fight was at Heavyweight, so going to light heavy shouldn’t be too much of a problem. Wilder obviously is not ready for someone like Cloud or Dawson, so this is simply a stay busy fight.
"The bell that tolls for all in boxing belongs to a cash register."
-Bob Verdi
Here’s the problem.
Wilder is a heavyweight.
Bad Left Hook
"The internet has undermined professionalism in journalism, which is a good thing." - Bill James
by Scott Christ on Feb 21, 2012 6:59 PM EST up reply actions
among the many other problems
Like that he went rounds with those guys…half a decade ago or more.
Bad Left Hook
"The internet has undermined professionalism in journalism, which is a good thing." - Bill James
by Scott Christ on Feb 21, 2012 7:00 PM EST up reply actions
Also, Wilder’s level of competition has been repeatedly absurd. you might want to brush up on your Deontay Wilder, including his weight class, before offering “this is just a stay busy fight” like it’s no biggie.
Bad Left Hook
"The internet has undermined professionalism in journalism, which is a good thing." - Bill James
by Scott Christ on Feb 21, 2012 7:01 PM EST up reply actions
GBP is servicing us a shit sandwich…
"Boxing is dirty," said Casamayor. " The day I’m not ready to be a dirty fighter is the day I don’t fight anymore because it will mean that I have no heart for it anymore."
they make all the best fights
FOR THE FANS
Bad Left Hook
"The internet has undermined professionalism in journalism, which is a good thing." - Bill James
by Scott Christ on Feb 21, 2012 7:05 PM EST up reply actions
I was just giving the other perspective. I didn’t say that it was a sound argument by any stretch of the imagination.
"The bell that tolls for all in boxing belongs to a cash register."
-Bob Verdi
by Waldo Rastel on Feb 21, 2012 7:19 PM EST up reply actions
Well, he’s not ready for Cloud or Dawson…because they’re two weight classes below him. They’re, like, not remotely in the discussion because it’s not the same weight class. How are you missing this?
Bad Left Hook
"The internet has undermined professionalism in journalism, which is a good thing." - Bill James
by Scott Christ on Feb 21, 2012 7:20 PM EST up reply actions
Yeah that was my bad on that one. I read light heavyweight incorrectly.
"The bell that tolls for all in boxing belongs to a cash register."
-Bob Verdi
by Waldo Rastel on Feb 21, 2012 7:47 PM EST up reply actions
One only needs to look at his fight against washed up, Thunderbox vet Harold Sconiers to see why there hesitate to step up his comp level.
yup
Bad Left Hook
"The internet has undermined professionalism in journalism, which is a good thing." - Bill James
by Scott Christ on Feb 21, 2012 7:00 PM EST up reply actions
Shawn estrada can make the heavyweight limit if Hayes drops out
by moidadabum on Feb 21, 2012 7:37 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanShots on Bad Left Hook
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
