THIS weekend, two of boxing’s loudest voices – Deontay Wilder and Jake Paul – step into the ring, each chasing relevance in a sport that’s quietly outgrowing them.
Wilder, the once-fearsome “Bronze Bomber,” and Paul, the YouTuber-turned-boxer, share a knack for spectacle but little else. Their fights in Wichita and Anaheim highlight a stark truth: boxing thrives on authenticity and skill, qualities Wilder has lost and Paul never fully grasped. The sport is fine – better, even – without them.
Wilder’s return on Friday at Wichita’s Charles Koch Arena is a shadow of his prime. For years, his right hand was boxing’s ultimate equaliser, a thunderbolt that felled opponents with terrifying ease. From 2008 to 2018, he racked up knockouts against modest foes, his 83-inch reach and raw power masking technical flaws. Then came Tyson Fury in 2018, a fight that exposed Wilder’s limits. Fury’s skill and resilience survived Wilder’s best shots, unravelling the myth of his invincibility.
Since that night, Wilder’s 3-4 record – including losses to Fury (twice), Joseph Parker, and Zhilei Zhang – has stripped away his fear factor. At 39, facing journeyman Tyrrell Herndon, Wilder is no longer a wrecking ball but a fading star clinging to past glory. A knockout win might spark talk of an Anthony Joshua fight, but like an aging band’s reunion tour, it’s nostalgia, not necessity.
Jake Paul, meanwhile, occupies a different boxing universe – one built on hype, not heritage. On Saturday at Anaheim’s Honda Center, he faces Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., a faded name himself, in a cruiserweight clash that feels more like a stunt than a statement.
Paul’s work ethic and promotional savvy deserve respect; his MVP Promotions has boosted women’s boxing, notably Amanda Serrano. But his in-ring credentials? Less convincing. A loss to Tommy Fury in 2023 exposed his technical gaps, and his “fight” against a 58-year-old Mike Tyson was a farce that embarrassed the sport. Paul’s fans crave chaos, not craft, tuning in for the crash without caring for the jab. His dream of a world title is bold but borders on delusion, a sideshow to boxing’s real battles.
What unites Wilder and Paul is their disconnect from boxing’s pulse. Wilder’s era of one-punch dominance has given way to a heavyweight division led by skilful athletes like Oleksandr Usyk, Daniel Dubois and Moses Itauma. Paul’s celebrity bouts pale beside the qualities of fighters seen in Birmingham this past weekend. Tiah-Mai Ayton dazzled on her debut while Conah Walker’s hunger helped retain his British title. As you’ll see in the coming weeks and months, boxing’s depth is its strength. These fighters don’t need Wilder’s nostalgia or Paul’s spotlight to draw eyes to the sport.
Wilder should retire, remembered for a trilogy with Fury that ranks among the heavyweight greats for its thrills. Paul should stick to promoting, where his influence outshines his punches. Their fights this weekend will make noise, but boxing’s future is already written by those who let their fists, not their fame, do the talking.
