Premier Boxing Champions on NBC ‘Wilder vs. Duhaupas’ Preview

---

Heavyweights
Deontay Wilder (34-0, 33 KOs) vs. Johann Duhaupas (32-2, 20 KOs)

Deontay Wilder will defend his WBC crown in his home state for a second consecutive time when he faces Johann Duhaupas in a Premier Boxing Champions event on NBC this Saturday. The card takes place at Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Ala., and airs on NBC beginning at 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT.

Not only is it smart to have Wilder fight in Alabama -- he’s a bigger draw there than somewhere like Las Vegas -- but it’s also good business to have the first American heavyweight champion since 2007 fight on network TV, as his last two bouts were on Showtime. If Wilder is to build toward more attractive fights against the likes of Alexander Povetkin, Tyson Fury or even Wladimir Klitchsko, it can’t hurt to start increasing his fan base.

Related » Wilder Seeking Clarity

The Matchup: When Wilder defeated Bermane Stiverne via clear-cut decision to capture the WBC strap in January, he demonstrated a more well-rounded skill set than he had during his incredible 32-fight knockout streak, when he never went past the fourth round while feasting on soft opposition. Against Stiverne, Wilder’s powerful right cross was still a factor, but he also displayed a more consistent jab, solid defense, lateral movement and perhaps most importantly, the ability to take a punch.

“The Bronze Bomber” has returned to his old ways after winning the title, however, because matchups against Eric Molina and now Duhaupas are not particularly inspiring. Wilder finished Molina in the ninth round in his first title defense, but it wasn’t necessarily the type of performance that built upon what he showed against Stiverne, as he was expected to put his opponent away much earlier.

Duhaupas will be a big underdog as well. At 6-foot-5 and 240 pounds, the 34-year-old Frenchman possesses good size but will be fighting in the United States for the first time. The man known as “Reptile” has spent the majority of his career beating up below-average foes in his homeland, but he has also competed in Switzerland, Luxembourg, Germany, Russia, Morocco, Algeria, Panama and Japan. His two defeats have come against Erkan Teper and Francesco Pianeta -- probably his most difficult opponents to date.

Wilder, an Olympic bronze medalist in 2008, possesses a triumvirate of tantalizing attributes: size, athleticism and power. At 6-foot-7, Wilder uses his length both to generate power for his right hand and cover tremendous distance behind his setup jab. Wilder can at times be too reliant on his right, seemingly spending all of his energy attempting to create openings for the knockout blow. However, his jab can be a dangerous weapon on its own when he is putting it to proper use.

Opponents who have had success against Wilder have been able to take advantage of the fact that he is somewhat slow in pulling back his jab and can be countered with an overhand right. Although he showed durability in going 12 rounds with Stiverne, his lanky frame and thin legs remain a concern in a physical fight. Stiverne and Molina were able to land to the body against Wilder, and Duhaupas should attempt to do the same.

There is no guarantee that Duhaupas has what it takes to threaten the champion, although his size is intriguing, and he seems to fight with confidence. He also uses his jab reasonably well, puts combinations together and understands how to move. However, he lacks the power of his opponent and is probably slower than Wilder -- a bad combination against a knockout artist.

The Pick: Duhaupas has never been stopped in his career, but he also hasn’t been hit by someone like Wilder. “The Bronze Bomber” is steadily improving, and he will have enough in his arsenal to put his foe away within eight rounds.