American boxer Deontay Wilder is being mocked on Twitter and Instagram after he blamed his loss against Tyson Fury on the weight of his bizarre ringwalk costume.
Wilder, 34, said he ordered the costume as a tribute to Black History Month - which was February 2020 in the US - but said he did not realise how heavy it was until the night of the fight.
Deontay Wilder nailing the perfect one-two boxing cliché here.
— Greg Double (@Dubstep1988) February 25, 2020
Step One: Tell the ringside interviews that there are no excuses, the better man won on the night.
Step Two: Make up every excuse under the sun in the days that follow. The more pathetic the better. #FuryWilder3 pic.twitter.com/F2dtDfiqEH
Rather than let the fans and the broadcasters down he chose to wear the 40-pound armoured cape and headgear into the ring but he said he was exhausted even before he climbed into the ring.
Wilder said he simply ran out of energy before the fight was stopped in the seventh round.
Deontay Wilder during his post-fight excuse pic.twitter.com/3GpSgsk1lT
— Martial Law MMA (@MartialLawMMA) February 24, 2020
Wilder - who was knocked to the floor in the third round and was bleeding from the ear - told Yahoo: “Fury didn't hurt me at all, but the simple fact is that my uniform was way too heavy for me."
He said: “I didn't have no legs from the beginning of the fight - in the third round, my legs were just shot all the way through. I was only able to put it on (for the first time) the night before but I didn't think it was going to be that heavy. I wanted it to be good and I guess I put that before anything.”
Twitter users and boxing fans have not been slow to tell the Alabama native what they think of the excuse he has given for losing his first fight.
Deontay Wilder’s excuse that the Daft Ada suit he had on for his ring walk was the reason he lost to Tyson Fury as it was too heavy is right up there with Alex Ferguson’s “We had the wrong colour shirts on at Southampton” laughable and embarrassing
— Gary Lawrence (@garythegooner56) February 25, 2020
Wilder said he was angry with trainer Mark Breland - himself a former world champion boxer - who threw the towel in, and with referee Kenny Bayless, who appeared to congratulate Fury on his performance.
But Wilder says he will be back and has indicated he is going to trigger the rematch clause within 30 days, setting in train a third fight in the trilogy.
I never thought I'd hear a worse excuse for losing a fight as David Hayes ridiculous 'little toe' effort. Deontay Wilder blaming his ring entrance costume for his defeat against Fury has changed that. Absolutely pathetic. Just show some humility ffs.
— Ian Mc (@McGlynnimino) February 25, 2020
The first fight ended in a controversial draw. Most boxing afficionados thought Fury won the Los Angeles bout but the judges scored it a draw after Wilder knocked the Gypsy King down in the last round.
Wilder said he would go to Africa next month for a holiday but would go back in the gym and start training for Fury-Wilder 3 when he returns.
Wilder's fiancee, model Telli Swift posted a message on Instagram in which she said: "To me and to so many that know and love you, you’re still and forever will be the champ! You’re the people’s champ and we all know what you do for our culture."
Does Deontay Wilders heavy ring walk outfit beat David Hayes big toe as the best excuse in Boxing ever? They’re both up there with “the dog ate my homework”. What’s your best excuse? #boxingexcuses
— Paddy McGuinness (@PaddyMcGuinness) February 25, 2020
By triggering the rematch clause Wilder will delay a unification fight with Britain’s Anthony Joshua, who is expected to sign up for a defence of his IBF belt against Bulgaria’s Kubrat Pulev in the mean time.
