By Jake Donovan

Just by his physical dimensions alone, Deontay Wilder commands attention no matter where he goes. Add a 6’7” frame to an always lean-yet-muscular physique, and you have an entity that commands immediate attention.

When you live in college football-crazed Alabama, you better have something to make the average sports fan notice you. Wilder’s gift comes in his ability to box – enough to where he can get away with sporting the red and black colors of the Georgia Bulldogs, a hated Southeastern Conference (SEC) rival of the mighty Alabama Crimson Tide college football dynasty, whose campus is based out of Wilder’s hometown in Tuscaloosa.

“How can you wear those colors during this time of year,” Wilder is asked as he stands among a modest crowd outside the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center.

The location serves as fight week headquarters for Wilder’s upcoming heavyweight title defense versus France’s Johann Duhaupas. The bout serves as the first heavyweight title fight in more than 30 years to appear live in primetime on network TV, airing on NBC this Saturday evening (as part of Premier Boxing Champions ) from  Legacy Arena on BJCC in historic downtown Birmingham.

It’s a country hour from Wilder’s hometown, but close enough to where he’s still an overwhelming favorite among the local public. It’s also close enough to home to where his radiant smile can defuse any tense situation, particularly a subject as touchy as college football in the Deep South.

“It’s just an outfit, ma’am,” Wilder grins as he points to a pair of red high-top sneakers. “I wanted to wear these today; the shirt just went with it.” 

The local crowd was pleased enough with the response to shift away from Wilder’s wardrobe choice as conversation continued about the upcoming SEC season. A few exchanges came of the group before one observer looked back at Wilder.

“It’s a shame we’ve never had a pro sports team to rally around,” noted the fan. “The big fella might be it for a good while.”

Therein lies the relevance Wilder brings to his region, and perhaps to the sport in general. It was evident in his first fight in the area, which came just three months ago in his first title defense.

On that particular June evening, Wilder made history by bringing the first ever heavyweight title fight home to Alabama in his voluntary defense versus Eric Molina. The occasion was well celebrated, with a beyond-capacity crowd of more than 9,300 packed into Bartow Arena on U. of Alabama-Birmingham campus. Wilder did his best to cause a scare, as he was briefly wobbled in round three before rallying to score four knockdowns en route to a 9th round knockout win. 

With that came the idea to defy logic and challenge the local market for his latest trip home. His fight this weekend versus Duhaupas comes on a Saturday that includes home games for the Crimson Tide as well as the Auburn Tigers.

Between the two powerhouses (though neither with a particularly strong start to 2015), there exists the possibility of 200,000 merchants limiting their Saturday sporting intake to college football.

Auburn has a huge game Saturday evening versus Mississippi St. that is commanding national attention. However, it is also roughly two hours southeast of Birmingham. Alabama has the lesser of the two matchups, as the Tide face unheralded Louisiana-Monroe – some will argue the Duhaupas of that particular game, as both are tremendous betting underdogs.

Wilder isn’t particularly worried about the impact either could have on his fight. His devil-may-care nature won’t allow such stress in his life. Besides, there has been enough attention paid to his career, up to and including fight week, where he worries about his own responsibilities as Alabama’s one-man pro sports team.

“It means a lot,” Wilder (34-0, 33KOs) told BoxingScene.com of being held in that regard throughout the state. “We don't have a professional team here. I've made boxing a professional franchise. The people love it.

 

“The fight (in June) was the test, and the people responded to it. Now we have this show here. I didn't even know tickets went on sale, until people started texting me and social media messaging me letting me know they got their tickets. They told me they were in the (upper deck) seats last time, this time they got front row.”

It stands to reason that Wilder’s act will eventually have to hit the road as the bigger fights begin to come his way. There’s only so much money that can be thrown at potential fights with mandatory challenger Alexander Povetkin and World heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko without trying to match what can be made for such fights taking place overseas.

For now, Wilder only focuses on what’s in front of him and what he and his team can control. That means all eyes on Duhaupas, who at 6’5” has the size to make for an interesting night. His thin resume tells a different tale, one more in line with Wilder coming in as a 33-1 betting favorite.

The matchup may not be desirable, but it’s what was available in terms of keeping Wilder active. Saturday will serve as his third fight of 2015, beginning with his title-winning effort over Bermane Stiverne this past January in Las Vegas.

With the win, he became the first American heavyweight since 2007 to own a piece of the heavyweight crown. It was yet another in a growing list of what Wilder’s current reign means to the sport, particularly to the United States. He’s the last American male boxer to have claimed an Olympic medal, capturing the Bronze despite his being the least experienced among the 2008 U.S. squad that competed in Beijing.

Not only is he the first American since 2007 to reign as a heavyweight titlist, but the first since 2005 to successfully defend a belt (the last being Chris Byrd, who outpointed DaVaryll Williamson in Oct. ’05, six months before conceding a title to Klitschko for the second time in as many tries).

All of that along with his being the first heavyweight champ since Larry Holmes to defend in primetime on NBC remain items which Wilder holds in the utmost regard. However, what means the most to him was giving the state its first ever heavyweight title fight – and the reaction with which it was met.

“It's very important to always go back to where you came from,” Wilder points out. “A lot of people thought I would leave here. I've always told them, "I'm staying, I'm a country boy and my heart is right here in Alabama. Once everyone saw that I meant it, they've responded and embraced it.

“My work is not yet done in this state. I'm going to keep fighting here, keep defending my title here and fight where my heart is.”

One fight at a time for Alabama’s one-man pro sports franchise.

Jake Donovan is the managing editor of BoxingScene.com.

Twitter: @JakeNDaBox

Facebook Page: JakeBScene