14 Wednesday, June 20, 2012 Heavyweight to fight Beck (29-10) Saturday WILDER FROM PAGE 1 A few seconds later, he starts to slow down – fifty seconds of continuously throwing punches is starting to take its toll. It’s not an uncommon feeling for the Tuscaloosa native. Wilder is 22-0 in his professional career – all by knockout – and will look to make it 23-0 on Saturday night at the Killer Buzz Arena in McFarland Mall. The 26-year-old won two major national titles at the amateur level and was the only American to medal in boxing at the 2008 Summer Olympics. His stock in professional boxing only rises with each knockout, and he dreams of being the first to bring the heavyweight championship belt to Tuscaloosa and the state of Alabama. The journey that led Wilder to this Northport gym on a sunny June afternoon began long before he ever set foot in a boxing ring, though. “I never looked for trouble, but trouble always found me.” -Wilder
He wasn’t always the giant he is today. He was just a “little kid,” as he called himself, growing up at Stillman Heights Elementary School. Wilder didn’t have any interest in boxing, but he also never backed down from a fight. As one of the smaller kids in his class, he was an easy target for his classmates. “I guess because I was smaller – I wasn’t always tall – everyone wanted to pick with me,” he said. Like every kid growing up in Tuscaloosa, he dreamed of playing for the Crimson Tide. Wilder always found himself throwing the football around or hanging out at the local basketball court, which was packed every night. “You get that big tradition
SPORTS thing, see all the games, all the people coming into town,” he said. “You see them on TV, you’re like, ‘Wow, I want to play for them one day.’” As he grew older, he grew in athleticism and was one of the best athletes in his grade. However, after graduating from Central High School in 2004, his grades forced him to attend Shelton State Community College, where he walked onto the basketball team. Before his basketball career could begin, though, his life took a sudden turn and would be changed forever. “Sometimes, we have plans for ourselves, but God has other plans for us.” -Wilder Deontay Wilder sat in a hospital room with his girlfriend at the time, Jessica. She was pregnant, and the doctors had diagnosed their unborn child with spina bifida – they said she would never walk. Having the child would significantly limit what Deontay and Jessica could do, as taking care of a child with that condition would require an immense amount of attention and care. There was another alternative, the doctor said – one that would allow the two of them to live the rest of their lives just like they had planned. Deontay looked at the doctor, then to Jessica. “No, thank you,” he said at the time. “We’re not going to terminate it.” “We accepted that challenge that day,” he said. “I never think a child is a mistake, especially if you’re not planning on it, if you do it out of wedlock. Every person, no matter what their disorder is, deserves a chance in life.” Wilder never saw the basketball court at Shelton, one he surely would have dominated for four years, but he wouldn’t have it any other way. He and Jessica are happily married, and Naieya is six years old. She has defied all
of the doctors’ expectations, walking with the aid of leg braces and sometimes without them when she is at home. She smiles, laughs and lights up her dad’s face every time he talks about her. What started out as a setback to a promising career turned into more than Wilder ever could have expected. “God blessed me with even more,” he said. “When you make the right decision in life, that’s a great feeling.”
The Crimson White
ceremony ... and you’re coming out like, ‘I’m glad I’m from the USA.’ I’ve been to other countries, and there ain’t no other country you want to be from than the USA,” he said. “If I could’ve fought that night, you’re looking at the gold medalist right there.” Wilder made his professional debut on Nov. 11, defeating Ethan Cox in a tworound TKO and never looked back. Twenty-one professional bouts later, Wilder is still undefeated, knocking out “He just walked in the door one every opponent he’s faced. But day.” -Deas of all his fights, there is one that will stay with him for the Playing basketball was no rest of his life. longer an option, and Wilder needed a way to support his “Any boxer that’s a boxer new family. He was driving a professional-wise here in the beer truck at the time when a state of Alabama, I think that friend mentioned boxing, just was their day.” -Wilder in passing. Having been a good street fighter growing up, Alabama didn’t have a proWilder decided to investigate. fessional boxing commission, He showed up at the door of so Wilder always found himJay Deas, his current trainer, self traveling for fights. But who ran a gym in Northport. after he returned from the He looked around, and his Olympics, he made it his miseyes lit up. sion to lobby for one. “It’s like a kid seeing Finally, in July of 2009, Christmas for the first time then-governor Bob Riley and not knowing what to signed the commission in expect, but then opening up the law, and on a February the present,” he said. night in 2011, Wilder made He started training with history. Deas, who eventually gave Fans packed the him some things to work on by Umphrey Center at himself. Shelton State on Feb. “That’s usually when you’ll 19, 2011 to witness see guys not do as much,” the first professional Deas said. “But he was the boxing match in opposite. He actually did as the state’s history much or more than when he and to see their didn’t think I was watching. hometown hero, And I said, ‘This may be some- Deontay Wilder. thing special here.’” He knocked out After only a few months of DeAndrey Abron in training, Deas got Wilder his the second round of first fight in January of 2006. the main event, but the night From there, he started com- was a victory for all boxers in peting in Golden Glove compe- the state of Alabama. tition, eventually winning the “After that very first show, heavyweight championship in it was like, ‘It’s on.’ I’m defiOctober of 2007. nitely fixing to put Alabama He qualified for the Summer on the map in this boxing Olympics in 2008, where he thing,” Wilder said. was the only medalist for the Afterwards, people from USA in boxing, taking home all over the state called him the bronze. to thank him for everything “The greatest feeling about he had done. Now, kids could it is coming out of the opening train in Alabama and not have
to move to another state to pursue a boxing career. “There’s no greater feeling than right here at home, where your people are,” he said. “My goal is to be the next heavyweight champ of the world, and I’m definitely going to be that.” -Wilder “5 seconds, championship!” Back in his Northport gym, Deontay Wilder steps back, takes a deep breath, then lands seven quick, powerful blows before time is called on the workout and he can rest. The jury is still out on Wilder’s
professional potential. ESPN. com called Wilder one of the top US heavyweight prospects, while others say he hasn’t faced strong enough competition to be mentioned in that group. Wilder’s goals are clear, and if his life is any indication, he won’t settle for anything less. “I’m the type of person that if you doubt me, I’m going to prove you wrong,” he says. “It never fails, because that’s what’s going to make me work the hardest.” He didn’t let grades, an unexpected daughter or a boxing commission bring him down, and even if his rise takes some time, he won’t be going anywhere anytime soon. “The hard thing about being a human is having patience,” he said. “We always give up so early. And we might be at the tip of success – we can be right there at the door – but it gets hard, we give up, and then we never know.”
CW | Caitlin Trotter
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