Wilder used to be the most feared puncher in the heavyweight division. He won 43 fights, with a staggering 42 of those wins coming by knockout. The "Bronze Bomber" also defended his WBC title 10 times.
But things have changed. Wilder's decline started with his fights against Tyson Fury. Their first bout ended in a draw, but Fury stopped Wilder in their rematch. In their third fight, Fury knocked out Wilder in the 11th round.
After a two-year break, Wilder came back strong with a first-round knockout of Robert Helenius. Fans thought he might be back to his old self. But then came another year-long break, followed by a surprising loss to Joseph Parker. Parker outboxed Wilder and won almost every round on the scorecards.
The latest blow to Wilder's career came against Zhilei Zhang. The 41-year-old Zhang showed his power by knocking out Wilder in the fifth round. It was a shocking defeat for the former champ.
Now, former undisputed heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis thinks it's time for Wilder to hang up his gloves. Lewis, who retired in 2003 after beating every opponent he faced, shared his thoughts:
"The Bronze Bomber 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 of 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."
Wilder's team recently turned down a world title shot against Lawrence Okolie at bridgerweight. They said Wilder has no interest in fighting at that weight.
As Wilder thinks about his future, he must weigh his love for the sport against the risks of continuing. The once-dominant heavyweight now faces the toughest decision of his career.