Andre Ward: Deontay Wilder Won’t Take Trilogy Fight Against Tyson Fury

Former super middleweight king and light heavyweight titlist Andre Ward believes Deontay Wilder will avoid taking a third fight with Tyson Fury. The 36-year-old boxing great turned pundit expressed his belief after seeing power puncher Wilder suffer a dominating defeat at the hands of ‘The Gypsy King’. Speaking to ESPN post-fight the 168lb legend explained why Wilder wont and shouldn’t invoke his rematch clause, he said.

“These types of things can happen to anybody, but they happen often times to guys who exclusively depend on one thing and we know what that is for Deontay Wilder and that’s power. ‘He’s building his whole reputation, his whole foundation, on fear. When you have that kind of reputation and when you have all these knockouts, sometimes your team can become enamoured with you. ‘Instead of challenging you and saying, ‘Son, you may fire me, but I’m going to point out every flaw you have because one day we’re going to face a guy who’s not going to follow the script’.

“Tonight, Tyson Fury did not follow the script. And often times for a puncher the fall is abrupt, and we saw that tonight. ‘I don’t believe that Deontay Wilder is going to exercise that rematch clause in the next 30 days. His pride will tell him to, but I don’t think he will and I don’t think he should.’ Asked why, he continued: ‘He’s shattered psychologically. Now that doesn’t mean he won’t ever win a boxing match ever again. But I know the psychology of a guy with that kind of reputation.

“When it’s taken from you. He could have justified getting hit with a big shot and say he was caught cold, but you got beat up, you got out-classed and you got stopped on your feet. ‘Your team, the ones who are your biggest cheerleaders, the ones who are calling out all the good in you, thought enough of you to throw in the towel. ‘And not just any team member, but one who had a career in the sport of boxing, has been knocked out before. He knew what Wilder was going through and he saved him from getting knocked out cold.” (Transcribed by The Metro)

Do you agree with Andre Ward’s belief that Deontay Wilder should avoid fighting Tyson Fury next?