Deontay Wilder’s father, Gary Wilder, has made a bold move in the wake of his son’s devastating fifth-round knockout loss to Zihei Zhang, advising the former WBC heavyweight champion to fire his current trainer, Malik Scott. This surprising recommendation comes amid a challenging period for Deontay Wilder, who has struggled to find his footing since Scott took over as his trainer in 2021.

Malik Scott, a former friend of Deontay Wilder, assumed the role of his trainer after replacing Mark Breland in 2021. However, since then, Deontay Wilder’s record has suffered, standing at 1-3. Gary Wilder believes the core issue lies in the dynamics of the trainer-boxer relationship, asserting that his son needs someone he respects, not a friend. “You need somebody you’re going to respect,’’ Gary Wilder told USA TODAY Sports. “You don’t need a buddy to train you.”

At 38, Deontay Wilder had previously indicated that he would seriously consider retirement if he lost to Zhang. However, his father remains optimistic about his future in boxing. “It’s not too late for (Deontay). I believe he got several good years left,” Gary Wilder said.

Shelly Finkel, Deontay Wilder’s co-manager, had little to say regarding Gary Wilder’s advice. “We really have nothing to say,” he texted USA TODAY Sports. He later clarified that Gary Wilder is not actively involved in Deontay’s boxing career. Malik Scott, when asked about Gary Wilder’s comments, responded dismissively, “… who is Gary?” before adding, “No comment.”

Gary Wilder’s primary criticism of Scott’s training approach is his attempt to transform Deontay Wilder into a traditional boxer, moving away from his natural slugger style. “Deontay’s always been a slugger,’’ Gary Wilder emphasized. “Now Malik’s trying to train him to be a boxer, and if you look at it, you’ll see that Deontay is not comfortable where he at. As long as he tries to be a boxer, he’s not going to win. That’s the bottom line.’’

Despite the turmoil, Gary Wilder has not yet communicated with Deontay Wilder since the fight in Saudi Arabia, but he plans to share his advice soon. Deontay Wilder’s career record stands at 43-4-1 with 42 knockouts, including a notable first-round knockout of Scott in 2014. The future remains uncertain for Deontay Wilder as he navigates the aftermath of his latest loss and the advice from his father. Whether this will lead to a significant change in his training team or approach remains to be seen.