Legendary boxing trainer turned analyst, Teddy Atlas, noticed one key improvement in Wilder’s most recent fight, despite the ‘Bronze Bomber’ only needing one round and just three punches to dispose of opponent Robert Helenius.
Wilder had been absent from the ring for a year and his return, after teaming up with new trainer Malik Scott, had fans second guessing how his style would have been adjusted. However, we didn’t get to see too much of what the former WBC champion had been working on, as he just quickly dismantled his Finnish counterpart.
Fortunately, the trained eye of Teddy Atlas, former trainer of world champion Michael Moorer, spotted something most would have missed.
Speaking on his podcast, The Fight with Teddy Atlas, he noted:
“Big difference. In those [past] fights he delivered it [the knockout] by setting it up with the jab, this time he set it up with his legs. Something we never saw before. He actually used technique, he used his legs, credit to Malik Scott his new trainer.”
Atlas also noted the differences that the 36-year-old showed outside of the ring, as well as inside of it.
“Punchers are born, they’re not made and there is not a million guys born to punch and he is born to punch.”
“I don’t know if he got humbled by the beating that he took in his last fight and he took a beating and he showed a lot of heart and he also dropped [Tyson] Fury. But, two [defeats] in a row, I think it changed things in his life. I think he is a more mature and humble person now but again, I never saw him as a world champion until the other night. He’s not a champion right now technically, but he acted like a champion afterwards.”
Wilder is now likely to take on Andy Ruiz Jr in a final-eliminator for a shot to regain his WBC title, with president Mauricio Sulaiman confirming the fight will be ordered next week.
There looks to be plenty of big fights ahead for Wilder, potentially even a fourth encounter with rival, and current WBC champion, Tyson Fury.