Former heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder marked his return to competitive boxing with a victory, his first since 2022. He achieved a decisive technical knockout in the seventh round against Tyrrell Herndon in Kansas.
Wilder (44-4-1, 43 KOs) had faced a tough run, having been defeated in four of his last five fights, including consecutive losses to Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang. However, he successfully ended that losing streak at the Charles Koch Arena.
Known as `The Bronze Bomber`, Wilder secured a somewhat questionable knockdown in the second round when Herndon, off-balance, was caught by a left hook. Despite being in control during the early rounds, Wilder didn`t appear to seriously trouble his opponent with his scoring shots initially.
Wilder significantly increased his intensity in the sixth round, unleashing a barrage of punches against the ropes that resulted in a second knockdown. Despite this, Herndon displayed resilience and managed to survive the round.
The referee ultimately stopped the bout in the final minute of the seventh round. This came after Herndon sustained two solid right hands in quick succession from Wilder and seemed unable to offer further effective resistance.
Reflecting on the fight, Wilder commented, “It felt great. I was laid up a long time getting myself back together, and it`s been a long road for me. I`m just glad to be back in the ring, you know. This is a new beginning for me.”
Potential Next Steps for Wilder
Among the widely discussed future possibilities for Wilder is a potential long-awaited clash with Anthony Joshua. The two heavyweights have come close to fighting on several occasions throughout their careers.
Joshua`s promoter, Eddie Hearn, recently told reporters that Wilder is “a name that`s been mentioned” as a potential opponent. He suggested there`s a possibility of AJ facing Wilder in October, November, or December, noting that such a fight would mean Joshua has faced essentially all the top elite heavyweights of his era.
Prior to Friday`s fight, Wilder`s co-manager, Shelly Finkel, indicated that they were “open to discussing anything” should the return bout go well.
Following his win, Wilder stated, “We`ve got a plan that we have set for this whole year and we`re going to stick with it. We`re getting a lot of calls and in the heavyweight division you`re always one fight away from a title fight. We want to take our time and we`re going to do that with the return.”
Murray Blackwood