Mike Tyson is one of only a handful of people involved in the sport who has the right of passage to give Deontay Wilder any criticism of his performance.
The boxing legend has seen it all during his career, having won, lost, and felt the anguish of personal pride being battered.
Tyson went through every conceivable situation, meaning any guidance offered to the likes of Wilder should be taken on board.
During a live social media session, Tyson laid out some words of wisdom and a massive dose of reality for Wilder.
Encouraging his fellow American to return more robust, the one-time ‘Baddest Man on the Planet’ also believes something was firmly wrong with ‘The Bronze Bomber’ on February 22nd in Las Vegas.
“I know (Deontay Wilder) feels like giving up. ‘Oh, my life is over. I’ve made 90 million dollars. My life is over. Oh God, I want to die.’ (but) Grow up. Keep going through it until it’s over,” said Tyson.
“Wilder can still make a lot of money. He shouldn’t feel sad or discouraged. And he should continue to go out there and fight with a lot of zest and confidence.”
Tyson Fury
On that fateful night at the MGM Grand when Fury took Wilder’s title, Tyson added: “Well, listen, he didn’t fight the same as he fought the first.
“The first fight, (Deontay) fought confidently as he could win. In this fight, he fought like he didn’t have any zest—no life in him.
“I don’t think he was the same fighter after the first fight. After the first fight, he couldn’t rise to the occasion again.
“There’s always a chance. Everyone always has a chance. It depends on how much he wants to give in to it. Does he want to dedicate his life to winning the fight? (If he does) then anything can happen.
“Something went wrong with Wilder during the second fight with Fury, and he never did adjust.
“If Wilder can’t fix his mistakes in his rematch with Fury, he won’t last long in the third fight. But he will make a lot of money, so it’s not all bad,” he concluded.
At this point, it’s doubtful that Wilder will get his chance of revenge until another six months go by.
The coronavirus crisis is deepening worldwide and will keep boxing off screens for the next three to four months.
Once restored, Fury vs. Wilder will again be the world’s focus as the most significant heavyweight battle in some years potentially concludes as a trilogy.
