Deontay Wilder plans to step back into the ring this April on BLK Prime network. The 39-year-old American heavyweight boxer wants to continue his career despite recent setbacks and calls to hang up his gloves.
Wilder's career stands at a crossroads. His record shows 43 wins (42 by knockout), 3 losses, and 1 draw in 48 fights. The boxing world has mixed feelings about his comeback, with some cheering him on and others saying it's time to retire.
"The Bronze Bomber" last tasted victory in an easy comeback win against Robert Helenius. But he's faced tough times since then. He lost to Joseph Parker on points in December 2023 and got knocked out by Zhilei Zhang in June 2024.
These losses came after a challenging trilogy with Tyson Fury. Their first fight ended in a draw, followed by two losses for Wilder, with the last one in 2021.
BLK Prime network announced Wilder's comeback for April, but they haven't named an opponent yet. They planned to reveal more details at a press conference, but Los Angeles wildfires forced them to postpone it.
Rumors started flying about Stephan Shaw as a possible opponent. Shaw, who turned pro in 2013, has a record of 20 wins and 2 losses. He's been Wilder's main sparring partner since 2017.
Shaw spoke to YSM Sports Media about the rumored matchup:
"I woke up one morning and they were just talking about the fight. This was a couple of weeks ago. I got a call and they were like, blah blah Wilder fight. Today, I see a blog run with this so I shared it because right now in my career I feel that's a fight that would be perfect for me.
I've sparred Deontay since 2017. I've been you could say his primary sparring partner, I've been part of every camp since he fought Gerald Washington till his last fight with Zhang. It's a fight we would love to take but it's all smoke and mirrors right now to be honest."
Despite Shaw's enthusiasm, he's not likely to be Wilder's opponent. The boxing world waits to see who will face "The Bronze Bomber" in his latest comeback attempt.
