Deontay Wilder’s career has suffered a huge fall from grace, but one fighter seems to indicate that perhaps he never was the hardest puncher in the division.
Deontay Wilder continues to evade retirement as he is set to fight again against Tyrrell Herndon. Wilder has won just one of his last five fights, when he knocked out Robert Helenius in one round.
Way back in 2017, though, Wilder faced the undefeated Gerald Washington in a world title defense. As expected Wilder put Washington down for the count, but it was only two years later that one heavyweight made a statement, putting him down even quicker than ‘The Bronze Bomber’.
Adam Kownacki one-upped Deontay Wilder in 2019
In 2019, Washington, who was beaten by Jarrell Miller one fight after his loss to Wilder, took on rising prospect Adam ‘Babyface’ Kownacki, nicknamed as a result of his youthful appearance.
Kownacki made a statement, stopping Washington in just two rounds in his 19th fight, three rounds earlier than Wilder, who almost fought Derek Chisora, managed in his 38th contest.
Kownacki had outpointed Charles Martin one fight prior, and seemed destined to go onto big things in the division.
However, it was only two fights later that Kownacki’s career came crashing down, against an opponent Wilder, who won an Olympic bronze medal, finished in one round.
Adam Kownacki’s career was destroyed by Robert Helenius
In 2020, Kownacki stepped up to face 29-3 Helenius. The fight did not go his way at all, as Helenius scored a stoppage win inside four rounds.
In his next fight, a rematch with Helenius, Kownacki did a little better, but was stopped again in the sixth round.
He fought three times since the losses to Helenius, and lost every one, two by stoppage. One loss came to Joe Cusumano, who Daniel Dubois stopped.
In his last fight he was finished in one round by an unknown 11-1 Polish heavyweight.