Deontay Wilder went into his Saturday pay-per-view main event against Robert Helenius with a number of questions hanging over him. Had his astonishingly brutal third fight with Tyson Fury ruined him? Had he made adjustments in his game? How would ‘The Bronze Bomber’ react when struck with a full-blooded shot. Then he left Helenius convulsing on the floor from a punishing right hand 2:57 into the first round.
It was a finish only Wilder could engineer. No other current heavyweight could leave a man near-comatose from a short right hand thrown while walking backwards. It was a stunning testament to the punching power of the former WBC heavyweight champion. But we already knew Wilder punched harder than any heavyweight on the planet. There are still questions about the other aspects of the 36-year-old’s game.
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This is by no means a critique of Deontay. If anything, the fact his brutal finish of Helenius gave us little to go on in terms of analysing his weaknesses is incredibly praise-worthy. Against a solid, experienced heavyweight, Wilder was able to summon a punch of speed, acumen and sickening power. But Fury exposed a number of flaws in Wilder’s game that will need to be addressed if he is to return to his former throne.
Wilder’s journey is similar to that of his old prospective opponent, Anthony Joshua. Both emerged with credit after taking losses to heavyweight champions. Both showed up far improved in rematches. ‘AJ’ boxed far better in his second fight with Oleksandr Usyk than he did in his first. Wilder looked far sharper and more dangerous in the third fight of his trilogy with Fury than he did getting dominated in the second bout. Both are noted knockout punchers who, until recently, had enjoyed things their own way for the majority of their careers.
If boxing were a more equitable sport then the two would probably face off next. Two deposed champions meet in the ring with the winner right back at it at the elite level. But Joshua is likely to face his own Helenius-type foe before that happens. By that point who knows where Wilder will be in his own development.
He certainly has options. After his victory over Helenius, Wilder called out Andy Ruiz Jr. A meeting between the two feels like a natural fit. Both are former champions on the comeback trail after losing to British fighters. Both employ fan-friendly styles that would mesh well. If Wilder is not going to meet Joshua then meeting one of only two men to beat him would be a very exciting next step. It would also be a stern test. Ruiz’s jovial manner and soft physique mask some very educated boxing skills. ‘Destroyer’ is a challenge for anyone in boxing’s blue riband division.
The other name to come out of Wilder’s mouth this weekend was Usyk. Considering the fact his business with Fury is settled, it’s a natural call-out for Wilder to make. He wants to be a champion again and Usyk holds the WBA, WBO and IBF championships as well as The Ring magazine gold. The bout is also intriguing because four fights into his heavyweight journey, Usyk is yet to meet a fighter with Wilder’s power. While the Ukrainian ‘Cat’ boxed brilliantly twice against ‘AJ’, he was hurt in their second bout. Wilder hits even harder than the Brit and Usyk’s ability to weather that remains untested.
These are all fights that will do more to stretch Wilder than Helenius. ‘The Nordic Nightmare’ was a perfect comeback opponent. Talented but compliant. Experienced but just a little bit past it. Now Wilder must seek greater challenges. A true return to world class is the only way we can know what he has left in the tank post-Fury. Whether it’s Ruiz, Joshua or Usyk; we are about to get our answers about ‘The Bronze Bomber’.
*18+ | BeGambleAware | Odds Subject To Change
