Lennox Lewis, the former heavyweight champ, thinks it's time for Deontay Wilder to hang up his gloves. Lewis shared his thoughts after Wilder's recent loss to Zhilei Zhang.
Wilder, known as "The Bronze Bomber," has had a tough run lately. He's lost four of his last five fights. His latest defeat came in June when Zhang knocked him out in the fifth round.
Before the Zhang fight, Wilder said he'd retire if he didn't win. Lewis agrees that's a smart move. He took to social media to share his thoughts.
"The Bronze Bomber told us before the fight [with Zhilei Zhang] 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."
Lewis knows a thing or two about when to call it quits. He fought from 1989 to 2003 and was a three-time world heavyweight champ. He first grabbed the WBC title in 1993 but lost it to Oliver McCall in 1994. Lewis got it back from McCall in 1997.
He then unified the division by beating Evander Holyfield. Lewis had another setback when he lost to Hasim Rahman in 2001, but he bounced back and won the rematch. He capped off his career with big wins over Mike Tyson and Vitali Klitschko.
After retiring, Lewis stood firm even when people wanted him to come back. Now, he's passing on that wisdom to Wilder. Lewis thinks Wilder can support his daughter financially and should protect his health.
Lewis's own career was full of ups and downs, but he always found a way to come back stronger. He's hoping Wilder will make the smart choice and step away while he's still healthy.
It's a tough call for any fighter, but Lewis believes there's more to life than boxing. He wants Wilder to enjoy his life after the sport, just like he has. We'll have to wait and see if Wilder takes this advice from one of boxing's greats.