The internet isn’t quite on board with Deontay Wilder’s costume explanation
Deontay Wilder really went out on a limb with this his pre-fight costume on Saturday.
NOBODY makes an entrance like the @BronzeBomber! ?
Buy #WilderFury2 NOW: https://t.co/auWEj0uOn9 pic.twitter.com/Pw1I68i0fX
— FOX Sports: PBC (@PBConFOX) February 23, 2020
And according to Wilder, that elaborate get-up refused to let him get up for the fight.
“He didn’t hurt me at all … my uniform was way too heavy for me. I didn’t have no legs from the beginning of the fight.”@BronzeBomber says his 40+ pound ring walk costume may have been too much, per @YahooSports‘ @KevinI pic.twitter.com/XKUzafg1WT
— FOX Sports: PBC (@PBConFOX) February 24, 2020
Wilder placed the blame for his lackluster performance on the 40-pound full leather suit of armor that he donned while walking to the ring.
The outfit included a crown and face mask bejeweled with rhinestones and LED lights.
Deontay Wilder says 40-pound costume left his legs dead in a seventh-round TKO loss to Tyson Fury https://t.co/mzLCrCRf00 via @YahooSports
— Kevin Iole (@KevinI) February 25, 2020
If you thought Wilder looked flat on Saturday night, there you have it. There is his explanation.
But as with any controversial sports topic, ‘there you have it’ is never enough.
“You lost. Fury was the better fighter that night… I don’t like all this excuse making. Even if it weighed 100 lbs, you put it on, you decided to do it.”
— @ShannonSharpe on Deontay Wilder blaming his 40-pound costume for Tyson Fury defeat pic.twitter.com/UPHJqC42Ik
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) February 25, 2020
To put it plainly, not a lot of folks bought Wilder’s explanation – or excuse – whatever you choose to call it.
Is it reasonable? Sure. That thing sounds suffocating.
.@MarcellusWiley is buying that Deontay Wilder’s pre-fight costume played a role in his loss against Fury
“You’re walking around with 40 lbs on you. Full of that anxiety, full of that hype and you go out there and fight, there will be a physical response & it will be adverse.” pic.twitter.com/UEgErGg4aM
— Speak For Yourself (@SFY) February 25, 2020
But, it was his choice to wear it, wait around in it and finally walk out it in.
On top of that, Wilder was responsible for even more weight, considering he gained about 20 pounds for the fight.
“Is it possible the suit took something out of Wilder’s legs? Sure it is. The bigger problem to me was the almost 20 pounds he gained for this fight. It defeats his attack-style.” — @RealSkipBayless pic.twitter.com/eNGr04qU1l
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) February 25, 2020
Fancy suit aside, Wilder lost. And there is no shame in losing.
But there is a bit of shame in this specific explanation as to why he lost.
“We all watched what Tyson Fury did to Deontay Wilder. No one believes [he lost] because of this costume. But I love it. It’s an all-time great, post-fight excuse. Is it the truth or an excuse? It’s both.” — @getnickwright pic.twitter.com/fItwyOob82
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) February 25, 2020
It seems like he’s putting up more of a fight now than he did in the ring.
Here’s how the internet reacted:
i have so much respect for Deontay Wilder but that costume excuse is so weak nobody made you wear that just take the loss like a man and come back stronger
— Dillon Danis (@dillondanis) February 25, 2020
All time spin zone here by Deontay Wilder here. I actually give him credit for the creativity https://t.co/k8ALcpdI27
— Aaron Torres (@Aaron_Torres) February 24, 2020
Tyson Fury carried to the ring on a throne. Health bar 100%.
Deontay Wilder wears a 45-pound costume to the ring. Exhausted. pic.twitter.com/YPyfY2CBMw
— Chamatkar Sandhu (@SandhuMMA) February 24, 2020
The designer of Tyson Fury’s boxing outfits says Deontay Wilder’s ring-walk costume wouldn’t have impacted the result of the fight.
? https://t.co/XABwnj0pFp #WilderFury2 #bbcboxing pic.twitter.com/f0Rj6RRPU4
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) February 25, 2020
Wilder has since confirmed that his camp will exercise its rematch clause for a third Wilder-Fury tilt.
Let’s hope that next time, he eliminates all the extras.
