An Emotional Deontay Wilder Says He Never Even Thought About Quitting After Back-To-Back Defeats, Says Boxing is “Not A Sport”
Deontay Wilder might just be one of the most emotional fighters in the sport right now. Yesterday, the former WBC heavyweight champion was a guest on The Ariel Helwani Show, and during his interview Wilder covered many subjects. The 39 year old, who will return to the ring on June 27, this against the little-known Tyrrel Herndon, spoke about how he would like to be remembered “when the music stops,” this as a “great man,” Wilder said.
While the former champ said he never even thought about walking away and retiring after suffering those back-to-back defeats at the hands of Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang. Wilder, 43-4-1(42) also said that “boxing is not a sport,” that it is simply too dangerous, violent and brutal to be considered a sport. “You don’t play boxing,” Wilder said.
“Boxing isn’t a sport”—Wilder’s brutal reality check
In addition, Wilder spoke about the fact that he is now “free,” this after having cut loose from all the people who he feels betrayed him during the course of his ring career. Wilder said he feels “like a new person” now and that he aims to carry on proving his greatness. The comeback – which Wilder said is not actually a comeback, but a “return” – starts with the Herndon fight, but Wilder did tease his next fight, with him vaguely suggesting it could take place abroad somewhere.
From selfless to selfish—Wilder plots busy comeback
There are rumours going around that Wilder could fight Francis Ngannou later this year, providing he gets past Herndon, 24-5(15) and looks good doing so. Wilder says he will fight numerous times here in 2025. That still-big fight with Anthony Joshua also remains a possibility, but for now, Wilder says he is fighting for himself, having gone from “selfless” to “selfish.”
Wilder is a complex individual, but he never makes for a dull interview the way he never used to make for a dull fight. What will Wilder show us all in the Herndon fight next week? And will he really fight two, even three times this year?
