ESPN pundit and well-known sports analyst Stephen A. Smith is the latest to call for the popular American to hang up the gloves.
Wilder lost to China’s Zhang on Saturday by stoppage in Saudi Arabia.
Speaking on his YouTube Channel Stephen A. Smith said:
“It’s time for Deontay Wilder to retire. It’s over. The brother has got about eight kids. Deontay Wilder is a good man. With a nuclear right hand. He had the kind of right hand that puts people to sleep. But there’s two things I’m going to hold against Deontay Wilder. He’s a puncher. He’s 6’7 standing straight up. There’s very little to no head movement whatsoever. He barely evades punches. He relies completely on his right hand. He barely throws a jab. This particular fight he tried to throw the jab. But he has barely thrown jabs throughout his entire career. He’s relied on the straight right or the check left hook. That’s what Deontay Wilder has done. He’s not a good boxer. He’s an elite puncher.”
He added:
“I’m not insulting him. I love Deontay Wilder. But he was never and nor will ever be known as a great boxer. That wasn’t his thing. He couldn’t avoid punches. He’s a puncher. He warded you off with his nuclear right hand that can put anybody to sleep. But he was never an elite boxer.”
He then went even further:
“Here’s point number two. Stupidity. Now we can blame it on pride, arrogance or ego as far as this particular fight goes. We can blame it on looking for the money fight or whatever. Deontay Wilder blew hit. He got into the ring with a dude (Zhang) on Saturday night with a dude sixty-eight pounds heavier than him.”
Smith really pulled no punches in his analysis.
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Alas, the decision for Wilder to retire will be his and his alone.
He deserves maximum respect for the years of fights he gave at the highest level to boxing fans the world over.
Growing the heavyweight division and brining it back to prominence no less — in many of his brilliant fights with Tyson Fury.
Here is the full interview above with Stephen A. Smith:
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