Wilder vs Breazeale likely for fall and Breazeale thinks it’ll be fairly easy
With no unification bout with Anthony Joshua in the immediate future Deontay Wilder is likely to be facing former Joshua foe Dominic Breazeale. Breazeale (19-1, 17KO) is Wilder’s mandatory and talks of a fight between the two has been bandied about as much as Povetkin was for Joshua.
While most fan’s write off Breazeale’s chances against Wilder, Breazeale himself feels much different. The former college quarterback is coming off back to back stoppage wins against previously unbeaten Izu Ugonoh and former Wilder opponent Eric Molina.
“I’ve paid close attention to Deontay’s last three fights, and I’ve seen a lot more weaknesses than I’ve seen strengths, particularly when he has someone hurt,” said Breazeale in an article on the PBC website. “When you smell blood, you’re supposed to go in for the kill, but his fundamental skills aren’t there and he falls apart.
“With his big, wild, looping shots, Deontay is so unorthodox that it’s not even funny. It’s almost like a circus act. Strength-wise, we all know that he’s got a big right hand. But at the same time, I don’t know if he’s ever knocked anybody down or knocked anybody out who has been tested or has a chin.”
There’s a history between Wilder and Breazeale as well. There was an altercation between the two in February of last year in the lobby of a Birmingham hotel following Wilder’s fight against Breazeale’s former sparring partner Gerald Washington.
The performance against Washington didn’t impress Breazeale much at all actually. He was so unimpressed that Breazeale says he’s been “licking his chops” to get the WBC champion in the ring every since.
“Sitting at ringside and watching what Gerald was able to do with Deontay for the first couple of rounds, I definitely knew at that point that I could beat Deontay,” Breazeale said. “I was literally chomping at the bit. I thought maybe the first round was a flaw, but when round two came, Gerald was still doing it.”
“I was thinking that when I get my opportunity against Deontay, it’s going to be an easier day at the office than it was against Izu or Molina,” Breazeale said. “Deontay is very awkward, which is crazy knowing that he’s gotten so far being a former U.S. Olympic bronze medalist in 40 professional fights and doesn’t really have any fundamental skills.
“You would think that he would be more un.der control when he’s gotten somebody hurt, but he’s almost like a street fighter in there. You get a lot of people making fun of the heavyweight champion of the world. You also have individuals who don’t even know who he is. That’s because of the fact that his art is not as honed-in as it should be, if that makes sense.”
Breazeale also believes the overall size difference will play into his favor as well;
“I believe that what he weighed for [Luis] Ortiz was at 214,” Breazeale said of Wilder’s 10th-round knockout win March 3. “You’re 14 pounds away from fighting at cruiserweight, so there is no way in hell that you should be getting any respect from anybody who is above 230 pounds. I respect anybody who gets into the ring. But when you’re talking about me at 6-foot-7, 250, or Anthony Joshua at 6-foot-6, 254 pounds, those are two big, heavy-handed guys who get respect the first time that they hit somebody in the first or second round.
“Deontay has shown me nothing that I go into the gym worrying about. It just seems like Deontay Wilder, time and time again, has been getting lucky to land that right hand because he’s just been lucky to fight guys who haven’t had their chins truly tested.”
There’s no date or official announcement for a Wilder vs Breazeale bout but it is expected to take place later this year on Showtime.
By: Chris Henderson
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