The Standing Eight Count: Deontay Wilder, Your Country Needs You!

By Dave Wilcox

The greatest prize in sports used to be the Heavyweight Championship of the World. From John L. Sullivan to Lennox Lewis, the sport of Boxing’s heartbeat has usually been dictated by the Heavyweight division and its historical champions. Those days seem like a million years ago.

For the last decade or so, the Heavyweight championship of the World has been relegated to Saturday afternoon showings on an internet feed near you. The brothers Klitschko have run the heavyweight division off of our televisions and out of the thought process of the modern day sports fan.

They defend their titles to packed stadiums in Germany, but probably couldn’t sell out my kid’s lunch room at his school in the USA.

Let’s face it, nobody in America gives a darn about the Heavyweight Division because Wladimir Klitschko is boring as hell to watch and has zero personality. In America, we care more about his Hollywood wife, Hayden Panettiere than we do “Dr. Nyquil”.

Sure, I guess a case could be made for Wlad and his domination over the last decade, but to be honest, I just don’t care to even waste my breath on the topic. The man has almost single handily destroyed the divisions and I want it back!

On January 17th in Las Vegas, Undefeated Heavyweight, Deontay Wilder brings his 32-0, 32 KO’s to the ring when he gets his shot at Bermane Stiverne’s WBC Heavyweight belt in what I hope is the first step to restoring dignity to American Heavyweights.

Wilder has a former Olympic gold medalist in Mark Breland as his trainer and Deontay himself, is a 2008 Bronze Medalist. You can’t get much more American than that.

Wilder has dynamite in his right hand and because he stands at 6’6 tall, he won’t be towered over as most of the big Ukrainian’s opponents usually are, should he get a crack at Wladimir Klitschko later in the year.

That’s the good news. The bad news is if you read the list of Deontay Wilder’s 32 victories, you will not find a single name listed of an opponent with a pulse. (See Al Haymon)

I’m hoping the hype becomes a reality and Deontay lands the big one punch KO on Bermane Stiverne’s chin to bring the title and a little excitement back to our Heavyweight division in America.

For the record, I picked Stiverne to win and based on my prediction record for 2014, that should equate to a victory for Deontay Wilder.

A guy can dream, can’t he?

God Bless America!

Random Thoughts:

-Jermain Taylor vs. Sergio Mora is the worst title fight I’ve heard of since, well, Jermain Taylor vs Sam Soliman.

-I was never a fan of ESPN anchorman, Stuart Scott, but the man did it his way and in the face of detractors for years. In the process he became sports broadcasting icon and a trailblazer. Over the last twenty years I’ve heard about one too many “booyas” and the other side of my pillow is hot as hell, but you have to respect a guy like Stuart Scott. He will be remembered long after he is gone. I send his, family, friends and colleagues my thoughts and prayers through their difficult time. Rest in Peace.

-Roll Tide?

-The baseball Hall of Fame announced their inductees for 2015. I have no problem with Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez and John Smoltz, those guys are no brainers. Craig Biggio getting in doesn’t exactly upset me, but I’m going to need Major League Baseball to send me the “Idiots guide to voting” so I can follow this thing better.

I think steroids are bad, right? Does justice or actually being found guilty of steroids count? Or is the decision of who gets in at the sole discretion of a fat, drunken sportswriter with a chip on his shoulder? (I think I just offended myself)

Mike Piazza not getting in is ridiculous. He’s the best hitting catcher in the history of baseball for crying out loud. He has been accused but not found guilty of using steroids. You better start kicking guys out of the Hall of Fame if we are going to play this holier than thou routine as voters. Get over yourself and throw away your agenda Mr. Baseball writer.

I like to remind the hypocritical world of Baseball every couple months or so the man with more base hits than anyone in the history of baseball at any position is still not even eligible for induction. If “Charlie Hustle” Pete Rose isn’t in a Baseball Hall of Fame, the place is garbage.

Keep punching….