Deontay Wilder’s Days as an Elite Fighter Appear to be Over
Former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder (43-4-1, 42 KOs) hoped that his fight with Zhilei Zhang would be the boost to revitalize his career. Unfortunately, it’s time for The Bronze Bomber to call it a day.
Fighting Zhang at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Wilder was mostly cautious and fought on the back foot. After showing signs of life in round four, he was stunned and dropped in round five when the referee waved the fight over. It’s the second consecutive defeat for the Tuscaloosa, Alabama native.
HOW THE MIGHTY HAVE FALLEN
There was a time when Wilder was a world champion and arguably the most feared fighter on the planet. But his world was turned upside down in February 2022 when he lost the WBC title by a brutal seventh-round stoppage in a rematch with Tyson Fury. For Wilder, things have taken a decided downturn.
He was stopped in eleven rounds in the trilogy with Fury in November 2021. After Wilder scored a ho-hum first-round knockout over Robert Helenius in October 2022, he looked listless in a decision loss to former WBO champion Joseph Parker in December 2023. Now, there’s this latest setback against Zhang.
Wilder used to intimidate opponents before the bell rang. That aura of invincibility is no longer there. It hasn’t been since the second fight with Fury. There’s also the reality that he’s 38 years old and appears to be a half-a-step slow in hand speed.
His straight right hand is arguably still the biggest punch in the sport. However, if you seem gun shy and unable to throw that shot with the same speed and force, that’s a cause of concern for a fighter who is always looking for the knockout.
A SOBERING REALITY
The former champion is financially secure and one of the best heavyweights of his era and will likely get inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. But heading into this fight with Zhang, Wilder said that it could be the end if he lost. That loss happened devastatingly.
If Wilder was serious about what he said, he’s considering hanging up the gloves. Given how things have been going for him lately, the most sensible move is for him to say enough is enough for his boxing career.
