Former undisputed heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis has given Deontay Wilder some words of wisdom in light of the American’s knockout defeat to Zhilei Zhang at the weekend, disrupting any plans of a return to the heavyweight throne.
Wilder lost the chance to face long-term rival Anthony Joshua when he was whitewashed by Joseph Parker in December but attempted to bounce back against Chinese boogeyman ‘Big Bang’ Zhang on Saturday night, declaring that this could be his final outing if he is unsuccessful.
Unfortunately for ‘The Bronze Bomber’, things did not go to plan and in the fifth-round the bout was brought to a close as he fell to the canvas and was unable to beat the count as a consequence of a prodigious right-hook from his 41-year-old dance-partner whilst his back was turned and his feet were wobbly.
At 38-years-old, with a record of 43-4-1 and a reputation as one of the hardest punchers in history, Deontay Wilder has given plenty to boxing, bringing excitement back to the sports’ glamour division when it needed it most after years of eastern European domination – ending the United States’ longest drought without a heavyweight champion (11 years) and having both a reign and career to be proud of.
On his social media, the legendary Lennox Lewis advised Deontay Wilder to stay true to his word and hang up the gloves and avoid the allure of another high-profile Saudi payday.
“The @BronzeBomber told us before the fight that he would retire if he didn’t win. I think that’s a wise decision. He’s more than carved out a life in which he can take care for his daughter, so before he suffers any more damage, it’s best to leave the game with your faculties intact because there’s a LOT more life to live after boxing. #zhangwilder #riyadhseason”
In terms of what is left for Deontay Wilder, the Joshua fight will always appeal but these days it would be through nostalgia more than intrigue as to who would come out on top – Joshua emerging as a clear favourite in that contest giving their respective recent form and even ‘AJ’ has insinuated that Wilder may be better off walking away from the sport.
Alternatively, a clash with Francis Ngannou was strongly rumoured over the last twelve months, whether that be in boxing, mixed martial arts or a two-fight deal involving both and given both men have lost two consecutive boxing contests, it could be a chance for both men to silence their doubters.
However, Ngannou is now expected to debut in the Professional Fighters’ League in September or October, where he will fight Renan Ferreira, who won the 2023 PFL Heavyweight Tournament in November and knocked out Ryan Bader to earn a shot at Ngannou.
Aside from that, there is little remaining for Wilder and we at Boxing Social would like to tip our hats to a worthy champion and a great entertainer, if he does indeed make the tough decision to retire.
Boxing Social is now on WhatsApp! Join our channel by clicking here and getting all the latest boxing news direct to your phone.