- DEONTAY WILDER (42-0-1, 40 KOs)
Wilder’s critics love to focus on what they say are his primitive skills, as if they are somehow an embarrassment to the sport. I can appreciate a sublime technician, someone like Vassiliy Lomachenko, but I think the two most important goals in boxing are the ability to win and entertain the fans. Wilder has done both consistently. Check out his loss column for yourself. And who doesn’t like one-punch knockouts, like the one that instantly ended Luis Ortiz’s night on Nov. 23? What about the Fury fight? Another legitimate question. I repeat: I believe that should’ve been a loss. That said, I also believe Wilder when he said he pressed too hard for a knockout. Many fighters do that and it often backfires. I think he’ll fight Fury much as he did Ortiz, calmly, patiently waiting for the right moment and then … well, you know. Wilder isn’t a great boxer – which he acknowledges – but he’s an excellent fighter.