THIS version of Deontay Wilder, a once bone-shuddering puncher, is much like how Superman would look if he suddenly lost his powers.
While Superman remains a heroic figure, he would be nothing without his extraordinary strength, speed or whatever else he uses to blitz past a selection of less impressive villains.
A character like Batman, on the other hand, relies almost entirely on his natural abilities, representing a well-versed operator when it comes to strategically outmanoeuvring his foes.
Unlike Superman, his success is defined more by an aptitude for hand-to-hand combat, cultivated across years of training and crime-fighting accomplishments.
In other words, Batman has expertly grasped the fundamentals of his craft, whereas Wilder, 43-4-1 (42 KOs), for all his success, has displayed numerous signs of vulnerability with regards to the art of combat.
So while his natural physical advantages continue to diminish, so too do his chances of reaching the elite level of his sport.
Without that same sharpness – allowing him to deliver a crushing right hand, so forceful that it could pulverize a slab of concrete – Wilder, in truth, has very little to fall back on.
At this late stage in the career of a fighter, especially one known for their power, they will typically begin to rediscover elements of their old amateur style.
In doing so, they have accepted the reality that they no longer possess the same degree of athleticism, but still, their boxing brain is educated enough that they are able to focus more on their technical prowess.
That way, a few more fights are still left in the tank, allowing them, even if just for a short while longer, to extend their shelf life in the sport.
The same, however, cannot be said for Wilder, who, after entering a gym for the first time at the late age of 20, is now compelled to contend with a major disadvantage.
He does not have the luxury, after all, to draw upon years of fine-tuning in the amateur ranks.
Instead, what we have is a man – albeit a fiercely tenacious one – who has been stripped to the bone, no longer carrying the same venom in his firsts or granite in his chin.
That said, it is highly likely that this version of ‘The Bronze Bomber’ will nonetheless storm past Tyrrell Herndon, an incredibly limited opponent, at the Charles Koch Arena, Kansas, this Friday.
He may even get the job done in typically ruthless fashion, convincing the less sceptical of onlookers that he is, in fact, back to his former self.
But of course, the second he takes even the kindest step up in levels, it is just as likely that the 39-year-old will come crashing back down in equally devastating fashion.
It does not help, either, that Wilder has seemingly lost a shred of his warrior’s instinct, with the introduction of Ayahuasca, a psychedelic drug, creating a more spiritually-connected individual.
Perhaps he may prove us wrong, but without that same never-say-die attitude, or in fact a ferocious degree of power, it is hard to believe that we will see him scale far beyond a victory over Herndon.
DEONTAY WILDER VS TYRRELL HERNDON FIGHT PREDICTION
Despite concerns surrounding Wilder’s punch resistance, and indeed his less potent repertoire of attacks, he should nonetheless take care of Herndon with relative ease.
An early finish, then, is most certainly on the cards, creating an explosive spectacle that momentarily distracts those from the harsh realities attached to an ageing fighter.
