That was just the truth. Yes, Itauma has great power. But Filip was in there training with, arguably, the hardest hitter the division has ever seen. He could never be afraid of Itauma. That was a critical mental edge Filip had over Itauma.
There is a video where he is standing toe to toe with Wilder in sparring. Filip also cut Haye to cause the cancellation of David fight against Fury.
Deontay Wilder was a hyped spent force the moment he faced anyone with real skill and durability. The right hand was elite. The rest of the game never was. His manager did a first-class job of matchmaking during the title run enough name value to look legitimate, not enough quality to expose the holes. That was then. He’s 40 now. The explosiveness is gone, the finishing instinct is faded, and two wins over and older Herndon and a declining Chisora don’t change it. But he is still a name.
At one time Wilder was the most feared man in combat sports alongside Jon Jones… The mere psychological lift knowing you stood your ground in there with him for more than one round would give you confidence enough.
Wilder has bagged more frozen meals than Hungry Man. I never got the impression Hrgovic suffered from butterflies or self doubt and he also had to benefit from knowing he stood up under the absolute wrecking balls Dubois dropped on him in a real fight at will and being stopped on cuts. Honestly thinking on it I’d edge Dubois an all around more competent and dangerous puncher that Wilder being honest. The question I always go to about Wilder and his fairy tale book “Mike Tyson” like power…who exactly did he KO let alone drop and seriously hurt that we did not expect him to going into a fight. Ortiz I was fun tv, awesome scrap. But his hat largely hangs on that pair. Talk about irony though…forgot just how much Wilder and camp were also caught up in the Mike Tyson comparisons and name chasing.