Evander Holyfield, one of boxing's greatest champions, has shared his thoughts on Deontay Wilder's chances of becoming a heavyweight champion again. The former undisputed cruiserweight and heavyweight titleholder believes Wilder's comeback hinges on his willingness to learn and adapt.
Wilder ruled the heavyweight division for years with his fearsome knockout power. He remained undefeated until 2018, racking up impressive victories over Luis Ortiz, Bermaine Stiverne, and Dominic Breazeale. But his reign came to an end in his trilogy with Tyson Fury, where he suffered two knockout losses after a controversial draw in their first meeting.
Since then, Wilder's career has taken a downward turn. He scored an easy knockout over Robert Helenius but then lost on points to Joseph Parker. His most recent setback came in June 2023 when Zhilei Zhang stopped him inside five rounds.
Holyfield shared his thoughts on Wilder's potential comeback in a recent interview with FightHub. He emphasized the importance of Wilder's openness to guidance and willingness to work on fundamental skills.
"It's going to have to do with him and how much he listens. Sometimes when you get older you don't want to listen any more. You think that if you ain't got it then thats it."
Holyfield stressed the need for Wilder to focus on basic techniques and footwork:
"The thing is, is he able to go back and start working on little things that sometimes people think it ain't much but that's the only thing that he don't do well? He don't take the steps when a person comes in and out, the little fundamental things that you get when you have been doing it your whole life."
Despite these recent setbacks, Wilder hasn't given up. He's stated he'll definitely return to the ring and promises he still has plenty to offer. Time will tell if he can take Holyfield's advice and make the necessary adjustments to reclaim his spot at the top of the heavyweight division.
