"He Still Has a Bright Future." Wilder’s Coach Responds to Skeptics

Malik Scott, trainer of former heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder (43-4-1, 42 KOs), has responded to the criticism directed toward his fighter. Despite losing four of his last five bouts, Scott is confident that the "Bronze Bomber" still has much to offer at the top level of the sport.

"Deontay has the heart of a lion, and he’s ready to go out on his shield. He will return. Deontay will fight again. He still has a bright future in boxing, especially at the highest level. Losses happen even to the best fighters.

I remember a time when Derek Chisora wanted to fight Deontay just because he loves fighting dangerous people. That's what excites him. There was a time when Eddie Hearn’s team didn’t want Joshua to fight Deontay. And it makes sense, considering AJ was their investment, and they had their own plan. As for Ngannou, he and Deontay had negotiations before.

These fights have always been on the horizon but never materialized. It’s a blessing when, after two losses, your name and reputation are still so big that you’re mentioned at the highest level. Deontay is still among the greats, still has the opportunity to make a lot of money, and still has the chance to cement his legacy.

The same people who want Deontay to retire were the ones telling Muhammad Ali not to fight George Foreman. They said Foreman shouldn’t fight Michael Moorer. They said Simon Brown shouldn’t fight Terry Norris, and that Meldrick Taylor was too young to fight Chávez. They also said Chávez would easily beat Pernell Whitaker.

These skeptics are part of the sport, and we need them. They provide the energy that motivates fighters and pushes managers and promoters. In my opinion, they’re wrong 8 out of 10 times, but it’s part of the game," Scott said.

Wilder last fought in a 5 vs. 5 tournament between Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing and Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions, where he faced Chinese boxer Zhilei Zhang (27-2-1, 22 KOs). The bout ended in a 5th-round technical knockout defeat for Wilder.