REGARDLESS of his technical flaws and defensive frailties, Deontay Wilder is, quite simply, one of the most awe-inspiring knockout artists in boxing history.
His right hand – delivered more like a jackhammer than a punch – has gotten him out of jail so many times that even Alcatraz would struggle to keep him locked away.
Whether the 39-year-old still possesses even a slither of that same potency, however, remains to be seen, with his outing against Tyrrell Herndon this Friday, meanwhile, remaining unlikely to produce a definitive answer.
Nevertheless, it is worth taking a closer look at five emphatic finishes that have largely defined Wilder’s formidable reputation.
Deontay Wilder vs Bermane Stiverne 2
This fight, more so for its comedic value than anything else, is difficult to ignore when it comes to dissecting Wilder’s ferocious power.
One right hand – sent ripping through the air just moments after the opening bell – was all it took for Bermane Stiverne to find himself staring up at the stars.
Yet somehow, the ponderous slugger was able to scramble back to his feet, only to then plod forward – his heavy frame offering little threat – before allowing Wilder to unleash one of his windmill attacks.
At which point, a second knockdown was followed closely by several crushing bombs, forceful enough to see Stiverne slump to the canvas for a final time.
Deontay Wilder vs Robert Helenius
The beauty of this knockout is that, from a technical standpoint, it could not be further removed from what is typically encouraged by coaches.
In fact, it was so wrong, on so many levels, that one cannot help but gaze in amazement.
As he so often does, Wilder miraculously orchestrated the finish while appearing to be off balance, his spindly frame trapped in a corner which, naturally, afforded him very little space to launch his right hand.
But despite that, ‘The Bronze Bomber’ nonetheless generated enough power through the shot – delivered almost as if he was knocking on a door – to dispatch Robert Helenius in the opening round.
Deontay Wilder vs Artur Szpilka
Once again, it was the right hand of Wilder that sealed the deal, only this time around, it had such an impact that Artur Szpilka was almost made to do a 360-degree spin.
Before performing the ballerina move, Szpilka had enjoyed several moments of success and, quite remarkably, became one of just a few people to take his opponent into the championship rounds.
Like with most of his fights, though, all it took was one thunderous shot for Wilder to end their encounter in devastating fashion.
Deontay Wilder vs Luis Ortiz 2
Unlike their first encounter, which delivered a fiercely-contested spectacle for the most part, Wilder had found himself on the receiving end of a vastly one-sided affair in his rematch with Luis Ortiz.
Through six rounds, the crafty Cuban was most likely chuckling at the thought of dismantling his rival, who threw a bewilderingly low number of punches, in such comprehensive fashion.
And yet, just as it appeared as though Wilder was happy to let the fight pass him by, he then suddenly sent a razor-sharp right hand tearing down the pipe.
Indeed, the shot – his only meaningful punch of the fight – was monstrous enough to halt Ortiz in the seventh frame.
Deontay Wilder vs Dominic Breazeale
In this fight, Wilder decided to remove the preamble and go straight for the jugular, sensing that the static movement of Dominic Breazeale was only ever going to produce one outcome.
It was a one-hitter quitter, in fact, that nailed Breazeale to the canvas, presenting him with not even a cat in hell’s chance of entering the second round.
Lead commentator Mauro Ranallo – who is perhaps best known for saying ‘Mamma Mia’ after every knockout – even decided to get a little more creative with his rehearsed line, and added, ‘[Wilder] hit Breazeale so hard, they’re feeling it in Brazil.’
