Deontay Wilder contests his first official knockdown regardless of many believing it was the second of his profession towards Harold Sconiers.
Wilder claims he was dropped by an unlawful blow when he was down for what many consider was a follow-up to Dustin Nichols. The previous world heavyweight champion shrugged off his first-ever bonafide and counted knockdown as a rabbit punch that did little to halt his progress.
Nevertheless, the person who delivered that blow refutes these claims to an extent as doubts stay over whether or not Wilder was down longer than ten seconds or saved solely by the bell. Footage of the battle has mysteriously disappeared within the aftermath.
Sconiers fought Wilder in 2010. After being dropped himself, Sconiers unleashed an almighty swing to place “The Bronze Bomber” down for the primary time in his profession. Many additionally say that Nichols put Wilder down. Subsequently, Sconiers may have been the second.
As well as, Sconiers was a 20-loss journeyman on the time. And when requested about it later in his profession as a world champion, Wilder denied it was a clear shot.
“Early in my profession, I received dropped,” Wilder advised The Opening Kickoff on WNSP-FM 105.5. “I received a rabbit punch behind the neck. When the punch occurred immediately, my neck began to swell. There was a knot again there. It was a blackout-type of feeling.
“By the point I received again up, the ref was in my face. I used to be like, “What’s occurring?’”
Talking in regards to the Fantasy Springs conflict, Sconiers was upset with Wilder however tried to again up his knockdown regardless of not being completely certain. Though his reminiscence of the incident pale, Sconiers nonetheless believes he merited dropping Wilder.
“After all, I can’t say for certain [it was a rabbit punch] now,” Sconiers admitted to SportBible. “That was undoubtedly not my intention. I, you recognize, in my coronary heart, I consider it was a clear shot. However as I stated, I had my head principally down. I used to be dipping into the punch.
“So I didn’t even see the shot when it landed. Is it potential that it may have been a rabbit punch? It’s potential. You recognize, as a result of he was leaning into it. I used to be coming excessive, however on the similar time, there was loads of incentive for them to say that, even when it wasn’t.
“So, I’m not gonna assault anybody’s character and say they’re mendacity.”
On why Deontay Wilder may need aired his rabbit punch view, Sconiers concluded: “There’s loads of issues at play as a result of that’s how they noticed it afterward.
“Individuals’s minds type of twist [or] flip issues the way in which they wanna see it or the way in which that is sensible for them. However I don’t assume I hit him with a rabbit punch. But I can’t dispute it 100%.”
Learn all articles and unique interviews by Phil Jay. Be taught extra in regards to the creator, skilled boxing author, and World Boxing Information Editor since 2010. Observe on Twitter @PhilJWBN.
