Deontay Wilder has a special relationship with his trainer Malik Scott having knocked the man out in under one hundred seconds.
When Wilder announced his new trainer for the Tyson Fury trilogy, a startling fact went under the radar as reports circulated regarding the ex-heavyweight contender.
Firstly, in 2014, the pair shared the ring in a top division bout boasting two fighters with a combined record of 66-1-1.
On the cusp of a world title shot, Wilder wasn’t going to let his opponent take away his ranking. In 96 destructive seconds, “The Bronze Bomber” did what he does – wrecks.
Deontay Wilder battered Malik Scott
Scott was out of his depth and quickly discovered by a two-punch combination that didn’t even seem to land flush.
Accusations that Scott dived followed but got dismissed by all involved in the contest hosted at the Coliseo Ruben Rodriguez in Bayamon, Puerto Rico.
The undefeated Wilder topped the bill alongside Danny Garcia, facing Mauricio Herrera in a Golden Boy promotion.
At the fight’s end, Wilder and Scott remained in touch. They’ve since sparring many rounds together. A solid friendship has blossomed over the years.
So when Wilder needed a new right-hand cornerman following the sacking of Mark Breland, Scott was the obvious choice.
They trained together for a trilogy battle with Tyson Fury. Scott, nicknamed “King” but labeled himself “The Odd Guy” outside the ropes, masterminded a plan to overturn a shocking defeat.
It didn’t work, but Wilder did redeem himself enough with a Fight of the Year performance. Fury beating Wilder wasn’t a surprise. It was the manner of the fight that made the saga special.
He was never known for his astute boxing ability. However, Wilder always kept himself in fights with his equalizer punching power. The kind he displayed against Scott.
Out of sorts
In February 2020, Wilder was out-of-sorts and seemingly bereft of ideas as Fury took control from the opening and never relented.
Having faced and felt the debilitating velocity inside Wilder’s fists, Scott has the job of putting his new charge in a position to land those bombs.
Predictions Fury would go for an earlier finish meant Wilder did not have the time to set himself up for a mammoth shot.
But both men traded with intent until Fury ultimately prevailed.
Fury also switched up his team from the first meeting. He had Ben Davison, Freddie Roach, and Ricky Hatton. But after almost being knocked out in the final round, none of that trio made it to the return.
For now, Malik Scott and Deontay Wilder continue locked together, plotting another world title shot.
They’re preparing for a redemption attempt, possibly against Andy Ruiz Jr.
Furthermore, if they can pull it off will only become apparent in the coming months.
