I fought Deontay Wilder and he KO'd me with stunning power, now I'm his head trainer - we're like Ro
Deontay Wilder and Malik Scott have a remarkably unique relationship as fighter and trainer that few others in the sport can replicate.
The American heavyweights first appeared on each others' radars when they sparred together, and later went on to meet in an actual fight almost a decade ago.
Wilder and Scott were never enemies, but stepped into the ring as rivals in March 2014, with 30-0 (30 KOs) prospect Wilder needing to overcome 36-1-1 contender Scott in order to progress to a world title opportunity.
He did so in devastating fashion.
In the first round, Wilder threw a left hook followed by a straight right hand which floored Scott against the ropes.
His senses were scrambled and he was unable to make it back to his feet, crowning the younger man the victor by KO1.
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Wilder would have been forgiven for thinking he'd seen the last of Scott after this fight, however, the opposite turned out to be true.
When Scott's career came to an end a few years later, he joined Wilder in camp, strengthening their bond.
Over time, he became an integral part of the WBC heavyweight world champion's training team, but worked more in the background behind main trainers Jay Deas and Mark Breland.
This all changed in 2020 when Wilder's world came crashing down at the hands of Tyson Fury.
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The defeated former champion reacted swiftly, calling Scott just a few hours after the loss to officially promote him to be his new head trainer and the pair remain together to this day.
"I just know who I'm training," Scott told talkSPORT.com as he explained their relationship, "Not because I know him, but because I've been in the ring with him.
"I fought him, I sparred him, I know what he feels like in 10-ounce gloves, I know what he feels like in 20-ounce [sparring] gloves.
"So I know what the power is that I'm speaking of because I've felt it.
"I've seen what he's done to grown men with 20-ounce gloves on.
"So it's easy because I know who I'm training. I have experienced him.
"My knowledge of him comes from the standpoint of experience, not from the standpoint of hoping or guessing.
"I know what he can do and I know how well he can do it.
"I just demand of him to be the best that he can be because at his best I don't think no-one beats him."
It took 18 months before Wilder and Scott had their first fight together - the trilogy with Fury.
The American put in a far improved performance as he floored the Brit twice, though he was ultimately downed once again by 11th-round KO.
Since then, Wilder has returned with a KO of Robert Helenius and is now back in the gym with Scott, preparing for a potential fight with Anthony Joshua, if it can be finalised in the near future.
Wilder is clearly happy with his current training situation, having now had Scott as his head coach for over three years.
Scott compares the dynamic to that of Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed - famous fictional rivals who fought twice in the first two Rocky movies, then worked together with Creed training Balboa in Rocky III.
"There's a couple of scenes in that movie that people send me and they do kinda remind me of the scenarios of me and Deontay in certain aspects," Scott said with a smile.
"The way I believe in him, that's the same way Apollo believed that Rocky could do more than just go out there and be a slugger - that's how I feel about Deontay.
"I feel he has more than just the right hand. He has speed, he's agile, he's mobile, he has everything.
"I get that, especially when it comes to the belief that I have in Deontay as a coach, training him, pushing him to the limit and speaking right into him.
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"So yes, I totally get it."
If a fight with AJ can be finalised for the early part of 2024, Wilder and Scott will be hoping to make him fall just as Clubber Lang did in 1982.
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