Wilder’s Preparations and Coaching Changes
In preparation for his upcoming fight on Friday night, Deontay Wilder has seemingly distanced himself from his trainer Malik Scott, who has been a significant figure in his career since 2020. Scott was brought on board after Wilder parted ways with Mark Breland following a challenging period marked by a devastating defeat against Tyson Fury, where Wilder felt he bore little responsibility for the loss.
Initial Success Under Scott
Initially, under Scott’s leadership, Wilder showed promise, garnering accolades for his performance in the trilogy with Fury, which earned the Fight of the Year award for 2021. He also scored a quick victory against Robert Helenius, suggesting that their working relationship was thriving. During this time, Scott endeavored to enhance Wilder’s boxing fundamentals and counterpunching skills, moving away from his previous reliance solely on knockouts.
Recent Struggles and Criticism
However, critics have pointed to a plateau in Wilder’s progress, arguing that these changes came too late. Notable defeats against Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang brought increased scrutiny on Scott’s coaching methods. Wilder suffered a significant points loss to Parker in December 2023 during the Riyadh Season event, followed by a knockout that left him reeling against Zhang during a high-profile boxing match.
“With three losses in four fights while being coached by Scott, calls for Wilder to seek new training direction grew louder, with fellow boxers such as Jamel Herring and Mykal Fox publicly questioning Scott’s contributions.”
The Current Situation
Despite the criticism, Wilder maintained Scott as part of his team after the loss to Zhang, but there have been no recent updates from them regarding their partnership. While Wilder is gearing up for his fight against Tyrrell Herndon in Wichita, the absence of Scott’s presence during recent media workouts has raised eyebrows. Followers on social media noticed a lack of footage featuring Scott as Wilder trained in his newly constructed training facility, igniting speculation about the future of their collaboration.
Fan Reactions and Future Prospects
As Wilder prepares for his comeback bout, fans are hopeful that his change in approach could yield a refreshed fighting style when he steps into the ring on June 27. One fan remarked on social media,
“I noticed Deontay Wilder hitting the pads, and Malik Scott was nowhere in sight. That’s definitely a fun fact that will make a lot of people happy.”
As this pivotal match draws nearer, all eyes will be on Wilder to see if an adjustment in his training team will impact his performance.
