Deontay Wilder has shed light on which of his 41 knockouts he still thinks about most often – because he thought he could have killed the man on the receiving end.
Wilder floored Artur Szpilka in the 9th round of their 2016 contest, causing the Pole to convulse and twitch on the canvas.
The reaction was so far removed from what is normally seen in a boxing ring that Wilder told Insider that he feared the devastating right hand could have had fatal consequences.
“I always think about this when they talk about what’s the best knockout I’ve had — it still lingers.”
“Artur Szpilka, when I hit him, I thought I took his life,”
“The scariest thing of all was seeing a guy with all good intentions, good hype for the fight, who want to serve his country, react to the shot in the way that he did.”
#FBF to 1.16.16 when HW Champ @BronzeBomber delivered a highlight KO vs @szpilka_artur.
Wilder rematches @BSTIVERNE Nov. 4 on @Showtime. pic.twitter.com/a22fJGADPy
— Premier Boxing Champions (@premierboxing) October 27, 2017
Wilder has a highlight reel of knockouts perhaps unrivalled by any fighter in history, so the fact the Szpilka shot stands out from the rest is telling.
Wilder will be looking to add knockout number 42 to his resume this weekend when he takes on Finland’s Robert Helenius in what will be ‘The Bronze Bomber’’s first outing since defeat to Tyson Fury in their trilogy contest a year ago.
If successful, a showdown in a final eliminator for the WBC heavyweight title with PBC stablemate Andy Ruiz seems like an inevitability for Wilder, with the fight being earmarked for summer 2023. Current WBC champion Tyson Fury also recently admitted he is still open to a fourth fight with Wilder.