Carl Froch believes Deontay Wilder is “finished” after his shock defeat to Joseph Parker.
Wilder saw a monstrous pay day with Anthony Joshua go up in smoke after he was comfortably beaten on points by fellow former world champion, Parker in Saudi Arabia last Saturday.
The Alabama man was fighting for the first time since a one round blowout of Robert Helenius last October, following consecutive knockout losses to Tyson Fury.
Former super middleweight titlist, Froch believes the 38-year-old’s bouts with Fury has taken a toll on his body and has called for him to hang up his gloves.
“I feel that those fights [with Fury] have taken a lot out of Deontay Wilder,” ‘The Cobra’ said on his YouTube channel.
“He got knocked down a few times, badly hurt, stopped. Those beatings, they can’t go unnoticed, they take the stamina bar down.
“Every single fight ages you. You leave a piece of you in that ring every time you have a bad fight.
“I’m sorry, I think he’s about finished.
“I don’t think his mind is in the right place, I think that performance was not the Deontay Wilder that I expect.
“This is now an old guy who’s been beaten a few times now. Twice off Fury and now Parker. And Parker, we know his levels.
“He’s lost to Whyte, he’s lost to AJ. This is a guy that’s not really performing at world level.
“I’m not saying he can’t, he might be back. Parker is back, done really well.
“I think Deontay Wilder’s finished.
“I don’t want to take the shine off Parker by playing down Deontay Wilder, because that was a great performance, but I think Deontay Wilder needs to just finish.”
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Wilder and Joshua, who fought on the same card, had signed contracts to face each other on March 9 providing both had won their respective fights.
Joshua, who overcame Otto Wallin via a fifth round retirement, is now likely to pursue a showdown with Filip Hrgovic, likely for the IBF heavyweight title which is set to become vacant after the February 17 undisputed heavyweight championship clash between WBC holder, Tyson Fury and unified WBA, WBO and IBF champion, Oleksandr Usyk.
Wilder, who suffered just his third professional loss, insists he will not be retiring and has vowed to become a two-time heavyweight world champion.
“I’ve got to find my killer instinct back,” he told 78SPORTSTV.
“I’m too at peace, I’m too happy. When I had that dog in me, nobody had a chance.
“I will be a two-time heavyweight world champion.”
