Deontay Wilder backed to return to top after power left British fighter amazed

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British cruiserweight Isaac Chamberlain has revealed how being hit by Deontay Wilder felt like he was sent back to London.

Chamberlain, 28, is preparing to face Chris Billam-Smith in an exciting domestic clash on July 30 in Bournemouth. But previously the British boxer has been a sparring partner for former WBC heavyweight champion Wilder.

The Brixton boxer helped Wilder prepare to face Bermane Stiverne in 2017 while he has also shared the ring with Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk as a sparring partner. But it was Wilder's power and speed which stood out.

READ MORE: Tyson Fury KOs Deontay Wilder after hitting canvas in "all-time great heavyweight fight"

"He's powerful, very powerful," he told Sky Sports. "I remember I sparred him when I was 19, he hit me with an uppercut, I thought I was back in London. He's a solid puncher.

"People always say it's his power. It's not really, it's his speed. He's very quick off the mark and he processes very quickly. People don't realise it and people only think he's wild just in general.

"No, he's only wild when he has you hurt. But he sticks to the basics very well, he's very, very sharp. So he's better than what people think. There's method behind the madness."

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Wilder, 36, has not fought since he was brutally stopped by Tyson Fury back in October 2021. It was his second loss in a row to the Gypsy King. The Bronze Bomber is plotting a comeback, though. His manager Shelly Finkel recently suggested he could face the winner of Joshua's rematch with Usyk for the WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight titles.

Chamberlain does believe that he will return to the top of the sport despite the nature of the defeats by Fury and his absence from the ring for almost 10 months.

"One million percent,'' he said. "You need characters like that in boxing, he'll be back. I remember I was Facetiming him before the other fights, he was in the zone and locked in. A true test of character is how you bounce back."

Chamberlain has to focus on his next fight which is a 50/50 clash with Billam-Smith for the Commonwealth and European titles. But he believes those days on the road sparring will help him for big nights like this.

He added: "Sometimes you have to look at yourself in the mirror and think what can I do to get better? Am I just going to stay here or am I going to try and evolve and better myself?

"I believe that that's what I've done. I went away, I went to Miami and sparred with all the world champions and world title contenders in Miami just by myself.

''I spent Christmas there, I spent New Years there, I spent my birthday there. It was very, very tough for me but I knew something was going to come out of this.

"I'm putting everything into my training. When I fight now, all of the energy that I put into my training, I put it into the fight.

''So it's going to be a great spectacle on July 30 and I can't wait to do the same thing I've been doing but on a bigger scale and showing everyone that Isaac's one of the most improved fighters in recent times."

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