Wilder’s Comeback Fight Reportedly Off – What’s Next?
Deontay Wilder’s comeback fight against Curtis Harper in April will reportedly not go ahead, leaving question marks over The Bronze Bomber’s future.
He was scheduled to make his comeback on BLK Prime. Wilder is experiencing the worst form of his career, having suffered two consecutive defeats. He lost a one-sided unanimous decision against Joseph Parker, winning only a single round across all the judges’ scorecards. The defeat prevented Wilder from facing Anthony Joshua after the pair had signed a two-fight deal.
The deal was dependent on Wilder beating Parker. But unfortunately, he could not produce the goods. Wilder had the opportunity to redeem himself by beating Zhilei Zhang in his next fight. However, once again, Wilder came up short, this time getting knocked out in the fifth round. Wilder was spotted in a sling, disclosing that he had suffered an arm injury before the Parker fight, which may explain why his form has been so poor.
Wilder’s Issues
“Just like others have paved the way for me. It’s gratitude to give back. I tell everyone we all have greatness in us and greatness is determined by service. Everyday I wake up I try to provide my service because I know how great I am.
“So many may hold you back, so many stop signs may come, many things may come and hinder your craft, but you can’t give up, though. No matter how many falls you may take, you gotta get your ass back up and keep going. And that’s what we’re on the journey doing, the best is yet to come, you understand me? I appreciate the love,” Wilder said
Wilder’s trainer, Malik Scott, was still hopeful of securing the Joshua fight. Joshua had suffered a knockout defeat to Daniel Dubois in his last bout, meaning the fight would be more of a credible match-up with both of them having losses. Now it appears that Wilder’s fight will not go ahead. Reports indicate that the California wildfires stopped the Los Angeles press conference from taking place, so Wilder’s plans have now changed. His manager, Shirley Finkel, has not yet confirmed if Wilder has actually retired.
What’s Next?
He was still hopeful of securing another fight with Tyson Fury, having lost twice to him. But Fury’s recent retirement means that is unlikely. There were also suggestions that Wilder could face Francis Ngannou in a crossover fight. Wilder was linked with the Ngannou fight before the latter decided to fight Fury. There were talks over a two-fight deal, one of which would be in boxing and the other in MMA.
Although Wilder has not made an official announcement, fans on social media felt The Bronze Bomber should walk away from the sport. He has already become a WBC Heavyweight Champion, having defended the title 10 times. He also achieved his goal of securing money for his daughter, who suffers from spina bifida. His financial future is secure, meaning he has nothing else to prove.
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