Deontay Wilder plans to step back into the ring this April. The former WBC Heavyweight Champion will face journeyman Curtis Harper in a comeback fight aimed at proving he's still got what it takes in the heavyweight division.
Wilder, known as "The Bronze Bomber," held the WBC title for half a decade before losing it to Tyson Fury. He couldn't get it back in their trilogy bout. After that, he knocked out Robert Helenius but then hit a rough patch. He lost to Joseph Parker in an upset and got stopped by Zhilei Zhang in five rounds.
Now, at 39, Wilder wants to show he's not done yet. He's picking Harper as his opponent, a fighter with a record of 18 wins and 11 losses. Harper's best known for a strange incident in 2018 when he walked out of the ring against Efe Ajagba without throwing a punch. Lately, he's won four fights in six-rounders.
Harper's not scared of Wilder. He told Boxing Scene:
"I'm going to be in the best shape to fight Deontay Wilder, mentally and physically. I expect to show people what I can do and what I'm capable of given the time and the right opportunity to do so."
Harper doesn't see Wilder as anything special:
"He's a former heavyweight champion of the world and he's just another man. Nothing special, he's just another man. You can never underestimate somebody by their last losses, just who they are when they walk into that ring, so they're underestimating me."
He even says he might end Wilder's career:
"I'm gonna go in there as if I'm Curtis Harper and he's supposed to put me down. And I'm gonna [do] everything in my will to put him down. It's gonna be a fight. Fist for fist, blow for blow. And he is lucky if he makes it out alive."
Wilder's picking this fight to build his confidence and set up bigger matches. If he does well, we might finally see him face Anthony Joshua. But first, he's got to get past Harper, who's ready to cause an upset.
The heavyweight division is tough right now. Lots of former champs want their spot back at the top. Wilder's loss to Zhang was a big setback, but he's not giving up. This April fight will show if he's still got what it takes to be a top heavyweight.
