Deontay Wilder and Mike Tyson pack serious punching power in the heavyweight division. These two fighters have made their mark with knockout wins and devastating blows.
Tyson became the youngest heavyweight world champion ever. His peek-a-boo style and close-range fighting ended his first 19 fights in six rounds or less. Wilder, an Olympic Bronze Medalist and former WBC Heavyweight World Champion, got known for his freakish power and lethal right hand. He didn't go past the fourth round in his first 32 fights.
In 2018, Wilder made a bold claim. He told TMZ he'd beat a prime Mike Tyson from 1986.
"Me vs Tyson in '86, I'd kick the hell outta that guy. Listen, I've got to keep it real. I know people always go back to the old school or look at the new school and there's no school where I'm not No 1 on Earth."
Tyson responded humbly and praised 'The Bronze Bomber' for having a champion's confidence. But not everyone agreed with Wilder's take.
Lennox Lewis, who knocked out Tyson in 2003, didn't see eye to eye with Wilder. He said:
"I just heard Wilder said he would destroy a young Mike Tyson. My thoughts are that it's easy to talk until you actually get in the ring. I like Wilder but he's never been in there with someone that ferocious who truly wants to break his ribs with every punch. I don't see it!"
Wilder's career took some hits after that statement. He lost his title to Fury in their second fight and got stopped again in their third bout. He bounced back with a win against Robert Helenius but then lost to Joseph Parker and got knocked out by Zhilei Zhang. His trainer Malik Scott says Wilder won't retire despite these setbacks.
Meanwhile, Tyson's getting ready to step back in the ring. He'll fight Jake Paul next month in a bout that's got people talking.
Comparing fighters from different eras always stirs up debate. We'll never know for sure how a prime Tyson vs. Wilder match would've played out. But it sure gets boxing fans fired up imagining the possibilities.
