DEONTAY WILDER is turning into a heavyweight no longer relying on ‘one big shot’ anymore thanks to his ‘cerebral’ training camp.
The American was dethroned of the WBC title in February 2020 by Tyson Fury, the man he initially drew with in 2018.
The contract included a trilogy, but it took an arbitrator to award Wilder with the fight after Fury tried to walk away to instead face Anthony Joshua.
Ever since his first defeat, the former champion has been quietly working away under new head coach Malik Scott, who he knocked out in 2014.
Wilder has even built a home gym in his Alabama mansion, but still does his sparring at Skyy Boxing, where he first picked up the gloves aged 20.
The Bronze Bomber, 35, has vowed to avenge his defeat to Fury, 33, and even boasted there would be ‘bloodshed’ in the ring.
But behind the scenes, Wilder has been keeping his emotions in tact, believing he will prove the doubters wrong and get the last laugh.
His sparring partner Stephan Shaw told SunSport: “It’s kind of cerebral. He’s reserved, but he seems like he’s at peace.
“He seems cool to me. It’s not like, ‘Grrr, I gotta get him back’. Nah, he’s like, ‘Fight night, they’re gonna see’.
“He’s all business, that’s one thing I can say. I can’t wait to see it, I’m excited.”
Wilder’s first defeat saw him sack his assistant coach Mark Breland, who quite rightly threw the towel in against Fury.
Now, training from home and hiring ex-opponent Scott, the heavyweight out for revenge is starting to put the missing pieces into the puzzle.
His co-manager Shelly Finkel said: “He is very punctual, he works out more than ever, and he is focusing on all of the things that were not there before.”
Wilder has 41 knockouts in his 42 wins, only going to the judges scorecards TWICE.
Credited as the most powerful puncher in heavyweight history, the 2008 Olympic bronze medallist formerly boasted ‘my opponent has to be perfect for 12 rounds, and I only have to be perfect for one second’.
But under new trainer Scott, Wilder is preparing to fight Fury with a whole new ethos, having switched up his training methods.
Shaw, 28, revealed: “Hopefully we will see a different Deontay.
“With the different things that he’s doing in camp and that Malik is adjusting and adapting him to, I see Deontay working on those things.
“It’s only going to tell on fight night but he’s definitely trying new things. He’s not just trying to hunt you down with one big shot.
“I think one of the mishaps he had before was thinking, ‘Guys have to be perfect for a whole 12 rounds, all it takes for me is one second to change the fight’.
“Even though that’s true, it can go either way, it is heavyweight boxing and one punch can change the fight for Deontay or Fury.
“Trying those things and working on them and actually executing them on fight night is what is going to tell how this fight is really going to be.
“From my point of view, he’s definitely working on new things.”
Wilder underwent bicep surgery after losing to Fury and was given an extended period off amid the coronavirus pandemic.
But he was then due to face Fury again on July 24, until his British rival had to withdraw after testing positive for coronavirus.
It has pushed the trilogy bout back to October 9 and Finkel warned the mix of time off and extra training sessions leave Wilder in no better position.
Finkel said: “The first fight, I would say he was 60-70 per cent, the second fight he just wasn’t there, it was maybe 50 per cent.
“I expect you to see between 85-95 per cent this next time. You’re never 100 per cent.
“God forbid any injuries or anything, you’re going to see an amazing performance.”
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