IT’S tempting to get carried away in boxing. Fighters win a world belt, turn in a few decent performances, and suddenly they’re being compared with the best in history. In the case of Deontay Wilder, the WBC heavyweight champion, it’s indeed tempting to get carried away, at least with his power – which has accounted for 40 early finishes in 41 wins. And the American slugger is not exactly a flash in the pan. He’s been a world titlist since 2015 and he’s unbeaten in 10 championship fights.

The cynics will already be spitting mad that Wilder is being mentioned alongside heavyweight hellraisers like George Foreman, Mike Tyson, Sonny Liston and Rocky Marciano. They will scream that the 33-year-old hasn’t beaten anyone good enough to grant entry to such a debate but, if they dry their mouths and try to stay calm, deeper investigation shows that Wilder has done enough to at least be considered.

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