It's called climbing the ladder. Which top fighter today has not fought a journeymen with a awful losing streak?
How may fought one in their 27th bout?
At that stage Vitali was the WBO champ and was facing a peak Chris Byrd.
Wladamir had already won a number of second level titles against decent opposition.
Haye was already a unified cruiserweight champ.
Povetkin still hasn't had 27 pro bouts... and has fought far better competition
Pulev hasn't had 27 bouts yet... and has fought far better competition.
Chagaev had already won and defended his world title.
Fury hasn't had 27 bouts yet... and has fought far better competition.
Arreola was about to face Vitali and had wins over Walker (when he still meant something), Witherspoon, Garcia and McCline as well as a group of untested prospects.
The only person who has anything like a comparable record to Wilder is Boytsov... and even he can point to wins over Maddalone, Pala and Bydenko.
Some allowance has to be given for the fact Wilder had such little amateur experience and came to boxing late but even so his competition has been abject... and worse for every step forwards there's been a step back. Taking on the 9-0-1 Shannon Caudle in his 12th bout wasn't bad (although Caudle has been stopped in every bout since)... but he follows that up by taking on the then 17-20-2 punching bag Harold Sconiers (and he was lucky the ref didn't stop that bout). He looked like he was finally going to step up by taking on Owen Beck and Kertson Manswell back to back... but then drags obese, semi-retired 168lbs Damon McCreary into the ring (picking on natural 175-185lbs fighters is something Wilder has a habit of doing). Price was old and not that great... but at least he was undefeated... but he follows that up with Matthew Greer. Then add in the way he ducked Jennings in about as embarrassing a move as I've ever seen. I don't think I've ever seen a clearer duck job in my life.
Wilder clearly has natural gifts and talent. But his development has stalled (as it always will if you're bringing in fighters to be blasted out in a handful of rounds) and his refusal to take even a moderate step up in competition seems bizarre. I'm reluctant to call anyone a "monster" when he's facing such poor opposition (and looking pretty poor at times doing it)... the distinctly average (at best) Travis Walker ran his record to 25-0-1 with a pretty knockout ratio doing much the same thing... or Tye Fields... or Johnnie White.
