Wilder gives a glimpse into his regime as he prepares for Fury
With his recent win against Luis Ortiz, WBC King Deontay Wilder now turns his attention to his potential future bout against the one person he hasn't conquered, Tyson Fury. Although the fight is not yet 100 per cent confirmed, the talks are said to be close to coompletion, with February 22nd earmarked as the date.
Despite this week's media attention fixed upon the Andy Ruiz Jr vs Anthony joshua rematch in Diriyah, Wilder and Fury's meeting in the ring will be the fight to watch in 2020.
The pair previously met in 2018 whereby both received their first blemish on their record, as the score was declared a draw, but they still continued their undefeated reigns as both hands were raised at the end.
Wilder recent odds have the American down as the favourite to win the bout, as he was prior to their first fight, but hopefully the return bout will settle the score once and for all. Many spectators believed that Tyson had dominated the entire bout and that 'The Bronze Bomber's two knockdowns weren't enough to sway the scorecards his way.Fury's legacy is already being written and so, too, is Wilder's as he rises in the record books with 10 successful defences of his green and gold strap.
Achieving such greatness does not come easy. We’ve taken a dive into Wilder’s life behind the scenes to see what he does to help prepare him in the ring and he manages to achieve such freakish power.
Training:
One punch machine – his power is immense. It has given hernias and broken thumbs whilst wearing gloves. But it is all natural power – there’s no heavy lifting in the gym. It is no secret that Wilder is known for his one-punch wonders. You only have to look at his recent fight with Ortiz to see that for the Bronze Bomber, it only takes one punch to win a fight.
For one punch to do so much damage, you would believe that Wilder had been working on his power his entire career, but in fact, he claims it’s all natural. “I put my power up with anybody, period,” Wilder said. “And it’s natural; I don’t have to lift a weight, period.”
But of course it cannot all come naturally to the 6’7” giant, and he has been known to share the secrets on his regime, although they’re not what you think. Wilder doesn’t enjoy a run on the road – it's too much pressure on the knees. He won’t spend hours lifting weights in the gym – it makes him too bulky. What Wilder loves is resistance.
Resistance training can come in many forms, but one of the most beneficial is in the water. The low-impact combined with resistance is great for flexibility, speed and balance. Of course, it’s not just a case of swimming lengths. Wilder adds equipment to his water-workouts to keep him a cut above the rest.
A weighted vest, swimming gloves, and ankle floating devices make up the list of the boxer’s tools, all which benefit in different ways. Punching in the water, working on techniques, sidestepping around his trainer, all exercises you would find boxers training in the ring, moved to the water to build more resistance.
Wilder has been known to add some alternative training into his down-time. He loves to go kayaking – another resistance activity. As well as all this time in the water, Wilder does lift a few dumbbells and practises his balance on a Bosu ball, but nothing too extreme or heavy – his goals are to stay agile.
Diet:
A clean and healthy diet is crucial for any athlete. Not only are there mental benefits, but it also keeps boxers lean and strong. However, Wilder isn’t quite hitting the avocado on toast with kale smoothies for breakfast.
Before his bout against Ortiz, Wilder revealed how he had been preparing in the kitchen. For breakfast, the boxer would consume pancakes, steaks and even some egg McMuffins from the beloved fast-food chain, McDonald’s.
In the build-up to the fight, he ate six meals a day as well as two protein shakes. However these aren’t small chicken and rice combinations repeated throughout the day, Wilder stacks his plate high at each sitting. Pasta, garlic bread, corn on the cob, ham, cheese, tuna, potatoes, greens – just some of the items that build up the Bronze Bomber’s enormous grocery list.
It is important to note that the boxer isn’t always sticking to fruit and veg, “I'm not one that enjoys food that much – I'm a pizza person. Give me a pizza and a Pepsi and I can survive!” For someone who ‘doesn’t love food’, that’s a huge shopping bill you’re building up there Wilder!