Wilder, known as "The Bronze Bomber," has been out of action for eight months. The 39-year-old knockout artist from Alabama last fought in Saudi Arabia, where Joseph Parker outpointed him. Before that, Wilder scored a first-round knockout victory over Robert Helenius, marking his return after a period of inactivity.
The fight with Harper, promoted by BLK Prime, fell through for unspecified reasons. Harper is best known for walking out of the ring on the first bell against top contender Efe Ajagba. Initially, the announcement press conference got cancelled due to devastating wildfires in Los Angeles. Later, World Boxing News reported that the fight was pulled entirely, with Wilder's manager Shelly Finkel confirming the cancellation.
Wilder's career has taken some tough turns recently. He remained undefeated for 44 fights into his professional campaign until Tyson Fury stopped him and took his WBC belt. His latest outing ended in a knockout loss to Zhilei Zhang, who finished Wilder with a brutal 5th round TKO.
Many in the sport expected the 39-year-old to retire after the Zhang defeat. Wilder himself admitted that loss could spell the end of his career. However, he later changed his tune, stating "the best is yet to come." When asked about potential retirement, Finkel wouldn't comment.
The cancellation of this comeback fight raises questions about Wilder's future in boxing. He might look for a more significant fight with another promotion, return to the drawing board, or continue his current stretch of inactivity. For now, the boxing world waits to see what's next for "The Bronze Bomber."