As Wilder learned his trade before eventually becoming the WBC heavyweight champion, the American went on a training tour to face some of the world’s best at that time.
His sessions included facing David Haye in England and Klitschko in Germany.
However, thanks to former rival Dillian Whyte, Wilder had to defend himself regarding alleged sparring knockouts at the hands of Klitschko.
Whyte regurgitated initial rumors by Sky Sports commentator Johnny Nelson. It was Nelson who first spouted talk in the UK of Klitschko apparently dropping Wilder in a battle between the pair in 2012.
What happened when Deontay Wilder sparred with Klitschko?
At the time, Wilder was in his early twenties and keen to learn the sport from the best around. Klitschko was then seven years into his unified heavyweight champion domination.
Whyte and Nelson state Wilder got dropped and hurt by the Ukrainian master. When speaking to LDBCSSports.com, Wilder refuted those remarks flat out.
“He [Nelson] said that me and Klitschko sparred on various occasions. In fact that Klitschko knocked me out cold and dropped me with a body shot. Keep in mind that Klitschko hasn’t thrown a body shot in eleven damn years,” said Wilder.
“All of a sudden, it had to be me. Why me? I had to be dropped in sparring. But I was only in the Klitschko camp one time. I held my own very well with everybody.
“All of a sudden, this mysterious untold story of Klitschko and me and he knocked me out. Come on, man. Please, people with b**** tendencies.”
Addressing further claims he wanted to avoid fighting Anthony Joshua once the Briton defeated Klitschko on home soil, Wilder added: “I’m the wrong man to spread rumors about and lies.
“Then you go on to say that I went to the AJ-Klitschko fight with 90,000 people. All of a sudden, my attitude changed. I had a willing heart to fight AJ.
“What are you talking about? I had that same willing heart since I touched my feet on your soil.
KO denial
“Then you said that after Joshua beat Klitschko. That my attitude changed. I knew that it wasn’t going to be a soft-touch fight anymore. What’s the difference between Tyson Fury beating Klitschko and AJ [beating him]?
“Fury had an easier time with Klitschko. If anything, I think I will whoop that a**. Don’t hype these people up, Johnny. If you’re going to do it, at least tell the truth about it.
“The only thing that I thought about when I saw that fight is how I’m going to whoop his a** like Norbert Ekassi KO’d your a** in 1992, my dude.”
The fact the stories about Wilder came out of one stable, which is linked to Joshua, Whyte, Eddie Hearn, and Nelson, says a lot about where intentions lie.
If Klitschko did put Wilder, who was a predominant cruiserweight at that time anyway, down – there is no shame in that.
After all, he almost stopped Joshua in the sixth round and dropped him more than once.
