Eddie Hearn has named a heavyweight as the most overrated boxer competing today.
Fans, pundits and fighters alike all hold opinions as to who’s over-hyped in the sport, with debates ongoing about padded records, lucky wins and general skill level.
Asked by DAZN who he felt was the most overrated in the game, Hearn named a man he’s currently trying to match with Anthony Joshua.
“Overrated fighter? Deontay Wilder. The reason I say that is because I think Deontay Wilder is a dangerous knockout artist.
[He’s overrated] because Luis Ortiz absolutely schooled him and stood him on his head. [Wilder] knocked him out, but he was eight-nil down in rounds. His only victory of note in his entire career is Luis Ortiz.”
Wilder faced Luis Ortiz twice during his five-year stint as WBC World Champion, once in 2018 and then again the following year.
In their first bout, the Cuban survived a knockdown in the fifth before being stopped in the tenth. Wilder was stunned himself in the seventh.
The champion was indeed down on all scorecards in the rematch, with Ortiz dominating the majority before being caught with the shot that every Wilder opponent does all they can to avoid.
It was three months later that Wilder would be unable to land that equaliser. His attributes were comprehensively negated by an in-form Tyson Fury resulting in the first loss of the American’s career.
His style is widely regarded as unorthodox and, in the minds of many, lacking, but the power is never questioned.
As Wilder says himself, his opponents must be perfect for twelve rounds, whereas he just needs one second. That’s been tested and proven over 43 wins, all but one ending in a stoppage.
Hearn’s theory should be put to the test towards the end of this year, with talks progressing to finalise terms for the Joshua bout.