Ray Mercer, a man who won Olympic Gold and held the WBO Heavyweight Title, has little regard for his countryman Deontay Wilder’s skills
Mercer was recently inducted into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame for his efforts in the ring. He retired from boxing in 2008 boasting a record of 36-7-1. Those losses came from the likes of Larry Holmes, Evander Holyfield, and Lennox Lewis.
He caught up with FightHype.com on the red carpet of the Nevada event and was asked if it was hard for former Heavyweight Champion, Deontay Wilder, to return to the ring following a knockout loss. His answer was as quick and brutal as one of the subject’s signature punches.
“No, what [makes it] hard to come back is, you gotta’ learn how to f***ing box before you come back.”
‘The Bronze Bomber’ has made no secret of his best weapon in the ring. His record consists of 41 knockouts in 42 wins. In fact, so proud of his power is Wilder that he rematched the one man he beat but didn’t stop – Bermane Stiverne – just to finish the job inside the distance the second time around.
Still, this doesn’t impress Mercer, who wasn’t a stranger to a knockout himself. Wilder’s approach was perhaps most exposed when he faced Tyson Fury three times, drawing one fight and losing the other two. Fury famously negated Wilder’s power. When that strategy didn’t work, he managed to lift himself of the canvas to continue – something few fighters can boast.
The third fight ended in a knockout for Fury in the 11th round, and thus sparked the question to Mercer about the American’s comeback.
Fans, and Ray Mercer if he chooses to tune in, will have a chance to see any improvements made when ‘The Bronze Bomber’ returns to the ring against Robert Helenius. The fight is set for October 15 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.