DEONTAY WILDER is acting ‘out of character’ ahead of his trilogy fight against Tyson Fury, says former world champion boxer Andre Ward.
In a recent press conference for the July 24 rematch, Wilder kept his headphones on for the duration – even for the head-to-head.
He has been sharing late-night training sessions with his new coach Malik Scott regularly on his social media accounts.
Ward believes Wilder is acting differently to how the boxing world knows him to be.
But the former unified super-middleweight and light-heavyweight champ Ward is still giving the American a chance.
Speaking to Fight Hype, the 37-year-old said: “I didn’t like the headphones from Wilder, but that’s the strategy he’s taking and we’re going to find out if it works or not.
“Fury has basically been doing what he’s been doing, talking his talk and he tends to back it up.
“Wilder is out of character in a sense that he’s not his normal self, but we got to see if this new tactic of tuning the world out and tuning Fury out will works.
“We’re going to find out in a month from now. I don’t think he has a better chance. I think he has the chance that he’s always had.
“He’s dangerous, but I think he’s always going to be dangerous,” said Ward about Deontay.
“But in this fight I think he’s going to be dangerous in a different kind of way because of the circumstances. He’s got a lot to prove.”
Fury and Deontay Wilder have shared 19 rounds in the ring – and finally complete their heavyweight trilogy this summer.
The Gypsy King had been in talks to fight Anthony Joshua, but has instead been forced to defend his WBC title against Wilder in Las Vegas.
Fury demolished Wilder inside seven rounds to inflict the first defeat of the American’s career back in February 2020. Neither man has fought since then, and both have been busy in longer training camps.
