Daily Star

HE’S SCOTT IT ON FILM It’s VAR: Video assisted revenge

- From CHRIS MCKENNA in Las Vegas

DEONTAY WILDER is hoping video sessions with new trainer Malik Scott will help him gain revenge over Tyson Fury.

Former heavyweigh­t contender Scott has introduced what he calls “film studies” to the Bronze Bomber’s preparatio­ns.

Scott has been showing clips of former greats to get his man to learn from them.

The main focus has been on legendary Cuban amateur star Felix Savon, the three-time Olympic champion and six-time world champion.

Scott said: “Deontay moves off of examples, so you have to show him what you’re talking about and give him reasons why he can do it, because he can do it.

“What stops him from doing it? He just hasn’t been going into the tool box and taking that stuff out. But that is what we have been doing in this camp.

“I showed him Larry Holmes, Joe Louis, Max Schmeling, Bob Foster, Vitali Klitschko. I’m very weird when it comes to film studies. I’ll watch a great, great amateur like Felix Savon.

“He was overlooked by people in profession­al boxing but he is the closest to having Deontay Wilder kind of power.

“How do I know this? I see the things that he did in the amateurs with 12oz gloves on and he put people to sleep.

“Savon was one of the greatest Cuban fighters. I can only imagine how successful he would have been as a pro with eight or 10oz gloves on.

“There are a lot of times I show Deontay clips of Felix Savon and how tough it was to get to him.”

Scott, 40, replaced Mark Breland, who was sacked for throwing in the towel during the American’s last fight with Fury.

Breland had seen enough in the seventh round as Wilder took a hammering from the Gypsy King in their rematch after their first bout ended in a draw.

Scott is unproven as a trainer and it is the first time he will take the corner of a major fight. But Scott has the rare experience of having shared the ring with both protagonis­ts.

He sparred with Fury in the past and he was knocked out in a round by Wilder back in 2014. He retired in 2016 with a record of 38 wins, three defeats and a draw and has remained friends with Wilder since their fight. He has been around his team since then as a sparring partner.

And Scott is hoping the video sessions will help get his man revenge.

He added: “Me being Deontay Wilder’s trainer means once he is done boxing in the gym, I’m coming up to the house to talk boxing and do film study.

“If I can’t make it up to the house, I will send him videos with my voice-over so he can study it. Boxing is not over just because we have stopped training.

“I’ve been in the ring with Tyson Fury, I’m coming from someone that has experience­d it.

“He was better then, when I used to spar him, because he was more elusive.

“We are going to close this chapter on Saturday night.”

 ?? ?? VIDEO STARS: Trainer Scott makes his point to Wilder (left) and Felix Savon lands a punch (right)
VIDEO STARS: Trainer Scott makes his point to Wilder (left) and Felix Savon lands a punch (right)

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