Sparring Deontay Wilder

Deontay Wilder

ISAAC CHAMBERLAIN may not have made his professional debut yet but heโ€™s already experienced training at the top level, joining Deontay Wilderโ€™s camp as a sparring partner. Wilder challenges Bermane Stiverne for the WBC heavyweight title on Saturday (January 17) in Las Vegas.

Chamberlain has little doubt that Wilder will be successful. โ€œHe should win because of the way heโ€™s been performing. He came into camp really fit. He came in really sharp, really fit. He came in ready. You know when someone just acts different, heโ€™s not the same Deontay I saw earlier on last year. Heโ€™s different. Heโ€™s like an animal. Heโ€™s a lot bigger as well. Itโ€™s different when you step in the ring with him rather than just see him from outside. Heโ€™s like a flipping animal, man. Youโ€™ve got to be sharp with him,โ€ Isaac told Boxing News. โ€œYouโ€™ve got to have your game face on because you can see it in his eyes and his face when youโ€™re sparring with him, this guyโ€™s trying to take you out. It was great.

โ€œHeโ€™s the real deal. I saw him knockout so many guys in the gym.โ€

Their routine was punishing. โ€œFor two weeks we spar Monday, Tuesday, we rest on Wednesday, we spar on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, rest on Sunday. We just kept going like that,โ€ Chamberlain, a cruiserweight, continued. โ€œHeโ€™s smartโ€ฆ He had a lot of trouble with my handspeed. They brought me in for the handspeed. I think he underestimated me the first time we sparred because I started catching him with a whole lot of shots.

โ€œI could tell they studied me because the second day I couldnโ€™t get near him at all. I couldnโ€™t get near him. I tried and I tried. They definitely, definitely studied me the second time. I started getting frustrated so I started lunging in with my punches. He set me up, he blinded me with the jab โ€“ he stuck his palm in my face and when I lunged in he got me with this uppercut. I was thinking, โ€˜Oh s***.โ€™ I didnโ€™t drop or anything but I swear I felt it, man. It was like, โ€˜Woah.โ€™ It was really good.

โ€œDeontayโ€™s manager told all of us Deontayโ€™s going to go 90%, heโ€™s going to go hard all the time. Youโ€™ve got to be on top of your game because heโ€™s going to be on top of his game, heโ€™s not going to hold back. Basically thatโ€™s what happened. It was really good I learned a lot from it.

โ€œI loved the experience. We used to train, we used to go out to eat together and stuff. There was a lot of jokes and stuff as well. But the camp was a serious, serious camp. You have to be on top of your game all the time. I was preparing for January 31 as well.โ€

Chamberlain makes his professional debut on January 31 at the O2 in London. โ€œWhen you get given an opportunity like this, you grab it with both hands,โ€ Isaac said. โ€œI really want thisโ€ฆ I donโ€™t want anyone to ever outwork me. Iโ€™m going to work as hard as I can to be the best that I can. No one wants it badder than me.โ€

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