A boxer starting off being given a load of easy fights to gain experience is the norm. He was a basketball player who didn't put on gloves until his 20s, not like those boxing since 6 or 7 years old, so he will never be the most highly skilled boxer but did well to get as far as he has from his starting position.
I know all about Wilder's story. You're half right there, he was exactly 20 years old(it was 2005) and it was football, basketball, then boxing. He was not much older than AJ(18), Wilder also competed in the Olympics(won bronze) himself. The difference is AJ fell in love with the sport and Wilder just saw it as a way to make money and fame. He doesn't respect the sport, former champions or the sweet science. He's basically said he doesn't need skill because he has the equalizer in his right hand. The fact that he didn't watch boxing before putting on gloves is completely forgivable but after 10+ years in the sport he still doesn't respect the sport, that much is obvious. That is the reason he didn't progress like others have who took up boxing late themselves(along with Shelley Finkel's cherry picking masterplan).
I agree it's not unheard of to have some low risk fights early on in a fighters career, it's forgivable for the first few fights(although he was fighting some very poor opposition, embarrassing to watch really). If you have watched the video though, this is a step further than that. Many of these guys weren't even journey men, they served no purpose other than to pad his record(KO stats). It's also not like he was upping the levels after the first few fights were out of the way, raising his experience as you suggest. This continues through to part 4 of the series. 30+ fights at that level is no exaggeration(Boxing Bros USA goes through each fighter).
I really suggest you watch the full series. I think too much credit has been given for a such a carefully managed career without many risks taken at all.
How he got the title is often overlooked too. There have been many videos done on the phantom knockout punch of Malik Scot which was an eliminator for the mandatory spot. After that, the "champion" Wilder beat is often severely overrated too. Stiverne didn't have to beat a champion to gain his belt and he had no successful defences(he got outpointed by Wilder aswell in that match which says it all). Stiverne actually won his belt when he faced Arreola for the vacant WBC, a fighter who he had just beaten by a wide decision in his previous fight.
Something isn't right with the way the WBC runs things in general, Breazeale vs Molina was somehow an eliminator for the mandatory spot to face Wilder not long ago. While Whyte was waiting 2 years in the number 1 spot. I can't make sense of how they decide the eliminator candidates, other than politics.
The whole "10 successful defences" tagline was a farce too, 7 of those were the type of guys AJ would get stick for facing even in the first part of his career. Molina, Duhaupas, Szpilka, Arreola, Washington, Stiverne2(after a 2 year layoff) and Breazeale(who AJ already knocked out). How anyone can compare that "reign" to Wlad's or any of the greats I do not know.
Edit: Long post I know... yes I was bored. :)
