By Geno McGahee
Former WBC heavyweight Deontay Wilder suffered the first defeat of his career and the title belt that came along with it when he fell to the hands of Tyson Fury. It was a devastating stoppage that prompted Wilder’s corner to throw in the towel, ending the fight and the knockout streak. It was a loss that he cannot process and it’s been excuse after excuse after, including his ring walk gear being too heavy, corner stopping it too soon and other hints, pointing to something wrong going into the fight. Wilder did not take the defeat well, but he’s not the first. This is very natural for an undefeated fighter to cry foul when they lose their 0.
Wilder – Fury II was a huge blockbuster and the odds-makers had the fight nearly dead even going in. The gambling on the fight nearly broke records at the casinos with the gamers putting money on their favorite pugilist and not forgetting to hit the Best slots as well.
When it comes to undefeated fighters to lose and contest the defeat, the best example is none other than Mike Tyson. His fight with Buster Douglas in Tokyo was not supposed to last more than a round with Iron Mike destroying his overmatched opponent. To the shock of nearly everyone, Douglas came out and dominated and destroyed the former unbeatable champion, scoring a late knockout. After the fight, Tyson insisted that he did not lose. An uppercut in round 8 put Douglas down and the long count was born, a contention that Tyson should have won by knockout rather than the fight continuing leading to his loss.
A fighter often compared to Iron Mike, Zab Judah, did not behave well after his second round knockout loss to Kostya Tszyu. Tszyu was getting outclassed by the powerful southpaw, but he was able to hang in there and land a hard right hand that put Judah down. He would get up only to fall down again and the fight would be waved off. Judah would go on to choke the referee and throw the stool at him, insisting the stoppage was too soon.
When Frankie Randall got the decision nod over Julio Cesar Chavez, the fans were shocked, but not as shocked as Chavez. After a gift draw that he was given against Pernell Whitaker, Chavez would insist he won. Despite clearly losing to Randall, he would once again cry foul. Chavez had compiled an impressive winning streak leading to the Randall fight and couldn’t accept losing.
Oscar De La Hoya would lose his first fight to Felix Trinidad in a close and debatable bout, but the Golden Boy cried foul. After the decision defeat, De La Hoya would insist that he gave his opponent a “boxing clinic”, but it wasn’t a pretty fight and it could have gone either way.
Undefeated fighters become undefeated fighters by having confidence and refusing to lose, but it can lead to the unwillingness to accept defeat, which is what history has taught us and what Deontay Wilder is now experiencing. He’ll get over it. They always do.
