Wilder’s Father Wants Malik Scott Sacked – ‘You Don’t Need A Buddy, Get Someone You Respect

Gary Wilder, Deontay Wilder’s father, has slammed Malik Scott, demanding a change of trainer. 

Since Wilder has teamed up with Scott, his form has dipped considerably. They have secured just one win in their four fights together. That was a 2022 first-round KO win over Robert Helenius. Wilder’s right hand and jab, which had made him one of the most-feared punchers in the division, is no longer present. The Bronze Bomber sacked his previous trainer, Mark Breland, after he had thrown in the towel following Wilder’s stoppage loss to Tyson Fury.

However, under Scott, Wilder attempted to box on the outside as he did against Joseph Parker. That failed miserably as he lost a one-sided unanimous decision. His last performance against Zhilei Zhang did not fare any better. Wilder was stopped after Zhang countered his right hand with his right hook.

That stunned Wilder as Zhang followed up with another punch to send him to the canvas. Scott also has been questioned for being a yes-man. Wilder knocked out Scott in 2015 with a first-round KO. That has raised suggestions that he cannot command the respect of the Bronze Bomber to get the best out of him. Wilder’s father has now called for a change. 

Wilder’s Father

“You need somebody you’re going to respect. You don’t need a buddy to train you. It’s not too late for [Deontay]. I believe he got several good years left. Deontay’s always been a slugger. Now Malik’s trying to train him to be a boxer, and if you look at it, you’ll see that Deontay is not comfortable where he at. As long as he tries to be a boxer, he’s not going to win,” Gary Wilder said

Nevertheless, Wilder’s mother, Deborah Wilder, has suggested otherwise. She reacted to her son’s defeat by stressing that he had done enough in the heavyweight division. Wilder became the first heavyweight American champion since Shannon Briggs. The Bronze Bomber had ten successful title defenses, stopping all except for his draw with Fury.

Wilder’s Team

Wilder was also in the running to become undisputed. However, talks with Anthony Joshua broke down, as the fight never happened. Although Wilder’s form is not the best, he did bring the excitement back to the heavyweight division. Given the generational wealth he has amassed, it may be time for him to call it a day. His manager, Shirley Finkel, stated he would support Wilder whatever he decided to do. 

“I texted him and said, ‘Son, we’re having a party for you. You gave us the best boxing in USA when boxing was dead. You’ve gotten older. You’ve ran your course in your journey. It’s time to celebrate. He brought back boxing to the USA, and we enjoyed all those knockouts. I taped them and I’m going to look back at them. We gonna to laugh, we gonna to cry. But we gonna be happy. Enjoy your life now. Teach other young men how to become a champion,” Deborah Wilder said

“He is fine, he is sleeping now. He was very emotional last night obviously. We didn’t expect it to go the way it did. I have nothing but praise for the way Zhang fought, he was the better man. It is Deontay’s decision whether this is his last fight or not. I love the guy, I’ve been with him for 15 years and I don’t want him to get hurt. It is totally his decision, I will let him know how I feel but it is his decision and I support him whatever he does,” Shirley Finkel stated

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