FORMER WBC CHAMP DEONTAY WILDER RANKS HIS TOUGHEST OPPONENTS OF ALL TIME
Deontay Wilder shocks fans by naming Johann Duhaupas as his hardest opponent, bypassing Tyson Fury. Discover his truth on boxing.
In a chat with Vegas Insider, Deontay Wilder, the former WBC world heavyweight champ, shared who landed the hardest punch he's ever felt. Surprisingly, it wasn't Tyson Fury, his biggest rival.
The Bronze Bomber caught everyone off guard by saying it was Johann Duhaupas. He said, “That dude hit me so hard, I still think about it! I swear, he had rocks in his gloves!”
“I'm really into energy these days. That might change, but right now, when I think about the hardest hit, I remember Johann Duhaupas, that guy from France. Every time he'd jab me, I was thinking, 'Man, this guy hits hard.' I was like, 'I can't keep taking these jabs!' He's the only fighter who made me think like that, like, 'Dang, that hurt.' That's all I really remember. I always give him props for that. So, with respect to him, I still think about him.
Wilder also talked about his dream opponent:
If he could face any fighter in their prime, he said, “It's always been Joe Louis. I got into boxing because of him, and my nickname comes from him. Joe Louis was from Alabama, 'The Brown Bomber.' I'm from Alabama, won a bronze medal, and became 'The Bronze Bomber.' Pitting the Brown Bomber against the Bronze Bomber just sounds right.
He added, There are so many great fighters. I always liked the idea of fighting Evander Holyfield, one of the best. He didn't get the credit he deserved.
When asked about the current U.S. heavyweight boxing scene, Wilder said:
“When I'm boxing, I'm all in. But when I'm not, I'm out. I don't watch much, and I don't go to a lot of fights. I'm busy with a lot of stuff. I wear many hats. I used to be really into sports, but not so much anymore.
He said, “Sometimes when you see how things really are behind the scenes, it's not as interesting. I know the truth. When you don't know anything, you're not surprised by anything. But when you know what's really going on, it takes the fun out of it. At one point, I didn't love boxing as much because of stuff I knew was true.
“Fans might see a different story, but they don't have the inside scoop. That's why I say certain things, and people react. They think I'm making excuses. I always say my truth is others' excuses. If you want to see it that way, go ahead. I've told you the truth, and the truth sets you free.”
ANTHONY JOSHUA REJECTS POST-FIGHT RING FACE-OFF DESPITE FURY’S DECISIVE WIN OVER MAKHMUDOV
Eddie Hearn explains Anthony Joshua’s ring snub. Is the Fury vs AJ fight actually signed for this autumn?
Eddie Hearn laid it out pretty clearly: Anthony Joshua stayed out of the ring Saturday night and didn’t square off with Tyson Fury, even though Fury and Turki Alalshikh were both pushing hard for that dramatic moment to sell their big all-British fight for later this year.
Tyson Fury came back for yet another post-retirement bout at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, picking up a decisive win over Russian Arslanbek Makhmudov. It wasn’t much of a contest, really. Fury dominated, collected a unanimous decision, and then instantly shifted his attention to Anthony Joshua sitting at ringside. At one point, Joshua even whipped out his phone to record the fight.
Naturally, Fury grabbed the mic and did what he does best: he hyped up the idea of fighting Joshua next, telling the crowd (and Joshua himself) that this was the battle fans have been waiting for. He even called AJ into the ring on the spot.
But Joshua didn’t bite. He stayed put, calmly telling the crowd he’s ready to fight Fury and has been chasing it for a decade. No drama. No face-off.
Later, Fury and his camp went public. They said their side had signed the contracts weeks ago and put the blame for the holdup squarely on Joshua.
“We brought him here tonight to make this fight a done deal,” Fury said. “I’ve already signed. No idea if he has.”
Netflix, broadcasting the fight, amped things up even more by teasing that the huge British showdown would happen this autumn. But Fury’s promoter, Frank Warren, pushed the decision back onto Joshua. “The only one who can confirm it is AJ,” he said. “It’s one man holding things up.”
Fury himself doubled down: “If it isn’t Anthony Joshua next, I’m done with boxing. It’s him, or I’m gone.”
On the other side, Joshua’s team fired back against any claims that AJ was running from the fight. Eddie Hearn, his promoter, explained why Joshua didn’t step into the ring: “He’s not interested in the theatrics if there’s no deal done. How many times has this fight supposedly been on? Years go by, nothing happens. Until something’s signed, it’s all just talk. AJ knows it’s Fury who really needs this, and he’ll fight him. We’re confident it happens, but right now, nothing is signed.”
And as for the talk about Joshua being scared? Hearn shut that down: “Scared of what, of that? Even Fury’s own fans feel the energy is different now. We don’t see anything other than an AJ win.”
"I WON'T BE THERE"—JOHN FURY BOYCOTTS TYSON'S TOTTENHAM HOMECOMING AGAINST MAKHMUDOV
John Fury confirms he will not attend Tyson Fury’s comeback against Makhmudov. Read why the father-son bond is "destroyed."
John Fury has already made up his mind: he won't be at his son Tyson's big comeback fight against Arslanbek Makhmudov.
It’s only been 15 months since Tyson Fury said he was done with boxing, but here he is, coming out of retirement for the fifth time. On Saturday night, he’ll step into the ring at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to take on Russia’s Makhmudov in a heavyweight clash.
Everyone’s talking about what comes next. If Fury wins, there’s buzz about finally seeing him face Anthony Joshua later this year. A rematch with Oleksandr Usyk is also floating around.
Fury says the reason for his return is personal. After a car crash killed some of Joshua’s friends last December, he says it hit him that life’s too short. He wants to live every day like it’s his last.
But not everyone’s on board, especially his dad, John. Out of everyone in Fury’s circle, John’s been the loudest in saying he doesn't want to see his son back in the ring. People have wondered if he’d even show up to the fight.
Turns out, he won’t. Mail Sport reported John won’t be at the event and is still flat-out against Tyson’s comeback, even though he did show up at the press conference back in February.
This isn’t coming out of nowhere. Just a few weeks ago, John admitted his relationship with Tyson had been badly damaged by this return to boxing.
"My relationship with Tyson is destroyed," he told Playbook Boxing. "Boxing destroyed it completely. I'll say it on camera: I've never taken £10 off him in my life and I never will.
"I don't want Tyson's money, and I don't need Tyson's money. Whatever he's got, good luck to him. But don’t forget who built his story when he was a kid. He didn't build it himself, did he? Me, his father.
"I was 30 seconds away from asking for a break there. I haven't really expressed these emotions before, but they're strong, and they're there.
"I think he's past his best. I'm a no-filter kind of guy. I say it how I see it. I love him, but there are too many people patting him on the back and telling him things that aren't true, building him up like he's invincible. He's not, and he hasn't been for a while."
John isn’t the only one who feels this way. Tyson’s wife, Paris and his brother Tommy have also spoken up about wanting him to stay retired.
"If you asked any one of his family if we want to see him keep boxing, the answer would be a big ‘no’ from all of us," Tommy said to Bloody Elbow. "That’s everyone, because we care about his health."
