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Home » Jay Deas discusses Deontay Wilder v Malik Scott and WBC title shot

Jay Deas discusses Deontay Wilder v Malik Scott and WBC title shot

Deas will accompany 28 year-old Wilder on his maiden trip to Puerto Rico next month knowing that a win should lead to a shot at the new champion once Bermane Stiverne and Chris Arreola sort out their differences later this year.

Standing in their way is fellow-American Scott, 32, in what on paper looks to be Wilder’s toughest test yet and a real threat to the exceptional record the ‘Bronze Bomber’ currently possesses of defeating all thirty of his foes within four rounds.

“I think Malik is an excellent fighter and he has more pure skill than almost any heavyweight in the world today,” Deas told World Boxing News.

“Scott can box lefty and righty and he has good movement. He and Deontay is a classic boxer/puncher match-up and Malik can also punch better than people give him credit for.

“If he couldn’t punch at all, why don’t these guys he faces run through him? It’s because he gives them something to think about.

“On the other hand, Deontay is a better boxer than people give him credit for too as you don’t win an Olympic medal with less than 30 amateur bouts and win 30 professional bouts without knowing your way around the ring. So all in all, it is a fantastic match up between two in-shape athletic boxers competing at the highest level, two guys who have a combined 66-1-1 record. You don’t see that everyday and both are to be commended for taking the fight.”

Scott recently suffered his only loss after putting together an impressive 35-0-1 when coming up against dangerous Briton Dereck Chisora, although Deas sees the London stoppage as a tad premature from UK referee Phil Edwards.

“I had Malik up three rounds to two with Chisora coming on strong at the time of the stoppage,” said Deas. “Chisora seemed to be getting stronger as the fight went on, but we were denied the opportunity to see if Malik could make the mid-fight adjustments necessary to pull out the victory due to what was a quick stoppage by the official.

“Malik was hit with a good shot and took a strategic knee, but clearly he was okay. He wasn’t wobbly and he wasn’t in trouble. He was coherent and completely aware of his surroundings and rose before the count of ten.

“I believe he beat the count and should have been allowed to continue, but of course none of this is Derek’s fault. The incorrect stoppage may have cost Dereck an emphatic knockout victory over an undefeated fighter, but no we will never know.”

Wilder and Scott will square-off on the undercard of 140lb king Danny Garcia’s latest title defence at the Coliseo Ruben Rodriguez, with the WBC stipulating that Wilder v Scott heads a series of eliminators which will ultimately decide who gets the next shot at the green belt.

“It has been reported that the fight is an eliminator and the winner gets a title shot, but the WBC have issued other eliminators,” he clarified.

“At the moment though it is our understanding that the winner will take on the Arreola vs. Stiverne rematch winner.

“However, our only concern is Malik Scott. No one has ever had an easy time with him so we are preparing with a singular mindset and that is Malik Scott and only Malik Scott,” he added.

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