Deontay Wilder: record, next fight and profile →
NEW YORK – Deontay Wilder will be rooting hard for Joseph Parker when Parker defends his WBO heavyweight title against Hughie Fury. Wilder wants to add the WBO title to his WBC championship as soon as possible. The undefeated knockout artist figures Fury will avoid him if Fury upsets Parker in a mandated title fight that is expected to take place April 1.
NEW YORK – Deontay Wilder doesn’t seem overly concerned about Gerald Washington. The WBC heavyweight champion admitted Wednesday that he doesn’t think Washington is ready for the type of fight they’ll wage February 25 in Birmingham, Alabama. The 34-year-old Washington (18-0-1, 12 KOs), a former USC football player, had just 14 amateur fights, didn’t make his pro debut until he was 30 and took this title shot on short notice once Wilder’s original opponent, Poland’s Andrzej Wawrzyk, tested positive last month for a performance-enhancing drug.
Deontay Wilder Training Photos - Unbeaten heavyweight world champion Deontay "The Bronze Bomber" Wilder discussed his upcoming world title defense and more on Wednesday in New York ahead of his showdown with unbeaten Gerald "El Gallo Negro" Washington Saturday, February 25 from Legacy Arena at the BJCC in Birmingham, Alabama.
NEW YORK – Deontay Wilder doesn’t think Anthony Joshua really wants to fight Wladimir Klitschko. The WBC heavyweight champion claimed Wednesday that Eddie Hearn – whose company, Matchroom Sport, promotes Joshua – forced Joshua into accepting an April 29 fight against Klitschko. Just 18 professional fights haven’t properly prepared Joshua for facing Klitschko, according to Wilder.
WBO heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder and Olympic gold medal winner Alexander Povetkin battled in court on Tuesday, at a trial over a title bout that was called off after the Russian tested positive for a banned substance. The boxers sat on opposing sides of a Manhattan federal courtroom as jurors heard their attorneys give opening statements in a trial focussed on whether Povetkin ingested meldonium after a World Anti-Doping Agency ban of the drug went into effect in January 2016.
WBC heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder (37-0, 36 KOs) is cautioning that nobody should count out Wladimir Klitschko in his upcoming fight with IBF champion Anthony Joshua (18-0, 18 KOs). Joshua vs. Klitschko, which also has the IBO, WBA titles at stake, will happen at Wembley in London before a record crowd of 90,000 fans.
The legal battle between heavyweights Deontay Wilder and Alexander Povetkin is heading to a jury, according to attorney Alexei Karpenko, who is representing the interests of Povetkin and his promoter Andrei Ryabinsky of World of Boxing.
Responding to WBC Heavyweight Champion Deontay Wilder's recent public statements, former WBA Interim Heavyweight Champion Luis Ortiz would like to let him know: "I signed up for the WBC/VADA Clean Boxing Program last September. Stop using that excuse to avoid fighting me!"
Lou DiBella, promoter of WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder (37-0, 36 KOs) believes a unification Anthony Joshua would be "massive" if all of the titles were at stake in the fight. Joshua (18-0, 18 KOs) will face former division ruler Wladimir Klitschko at Wembley Stadium on April 29, live on Sky Sports Box Office, with the IBF, WBA, IBF world heavyweight titles at stake.
Deontay Wilder wasn’t going to fight an elite heavyweight February 25 no matter what happened. Wilder wants to test out his surgically repaired right hand and right biceps before agreeing to take a more difficult fight. Nevertheless, promoter Lou DiBella believes Andrzej Wawrzyk’s positive test for a performance-enhancing drug has helped make a more competitive fight for Wilder next month.