Deontay Wilder to Hang It Up If He Loses his Fight with Zhang
One-time WBC heavyweight champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder (43-3-1, 42KO) fully understands that his career hangs in the balance against Zhilei “Big Bang” Zhang (26-2-1, 21KO).
The Bronze Bomber will lock horns with the Big Bang and the winner could get a title shot down the line. With both fighters coming off losses, another defeat would be a huge blow to their championship dreams.
On December 2023, Wilder suffered an embarrassing defeat by one-time WBO champion Joseph Parker, which cost him a huge payday fight against divisional rival Anthony Joshua.
HE KNOWS WHAT’S AT STAKE
Talks of possible retirement emerged after Wilder acknowledged losing that fighting fire. In the press conference to promote the fight, he explained why he is taking the fight very seriously.
“I’ve had to regroup, I’ve had to get myself together, and things just don’t change overnight . . . you have to keep working, you have to keep pushing . . . until you get what you want.”
“I’m at this point in time where I’m narrowing it down. Come the night of the fight, we’ll see if I got it or not. This fight, I’m holding it as my last stance, my last chance, and that’s what I’m taking it accordingly as.”
Although the power-puncher from Alabama said all the right things, the problem is, for far too long, he has operated as a one-dimensional fighter. Wilder has counted on his power to win fights so much that he doesn’t use the basic fundamentals of boxing.
The Bomber had a significant reach advantage against Parker and couldn’t throw a proper jab. That is something you can’t fix in one training camp. In addition, fighters that often lose their competitive hunger rarely ever get it back.
On June 1, it will be interesting to see if Wilder can turn in the performance needed to score a victory.
