Deontay Wilder is known for his heavy hitting, but he has taken a few big shots himself over his 46-fight career.
And in terms of who has hit the hardest, you would expect him to say Tyson Fury, with the Brit being the only man to stop ‘The Bronze Bomber’ in the ring, not just once, but twice across three epic fights.
This is not the case, however, as when asked who hit him the hardest, Wilder told talkSPORT: “I would have to say the Frenchman,” but he couldn’t remember his name.
So, Wilder then joked: “The hardest punch I’ve taken is taxes, when they take my taxes.”
Later in the interview, however, it came back to him, as he said: “That’s it, it’s Johann Duhaupas.
“That’s the hardest punch I’ve faced in my career thus far.”
The pair clashed in 2015, shortly after Wilder had become WBC heavyweight world champion, facing Duhaupas in the second defence of his title.
Wilder’s power is such that he usually gets rid of his opponents relatively quickly, but Duhaupas is known for being extremely tough and he lasted eleven rounds with the American.
And during that time he must have landed some crushing blows to have left such a long-lasting impression on Wilder.
But ultimately, it was ‘The Bronze Bomber’ who came out on top, as in round eleven, Wilder landed his signature right hand that marked the beginning of the end.
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Duhaupas stayed on his feet, but Wilder followed up with a barrage of brutal hooks and uppercuts, leaving the referee with no choice but to step in and wave off the contest.
As we now know, Wilder is no longer in possession of the belt he defended against Duhaupas.
He had a terrific run as champion, making ten title defences, including two thrilling clashes with Luis Ortiz, both of which ended in stunning KO’s for Wilder.
In 2020, however, the world championship changed hands, as Wilder passed the torch on to Fury, but ‘The Bronze Bomber’ is currently on the comeback trail.
And the next man standing in his way is the former WBO heavyweight world champion Joseph Parker.
The two men will battle it out in Saudi Arabia on December 23 on the same card as Anthony Joshua vs Otto Wallin.
This comes with the expectation that should both men come out on top in their respective fights, they will clash next year in a long-awaited bout.
‘Day of Reckoning’, Saturday 23rd December, as part of Riyadh season will be available live on DAZN and TNT Sports Box Office. For info on how to watch visit dayofreckoning.co.uk
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