Deontay Wilder says he's coming back to boxing. The former WBC heavyweight champ from Alabama made the announcement in a recent interview, sounding upbeat about his return to the ring.
"It feels good," Wilder told 78SPORTSTV. "This is what I'm doing this time around now, I got the same mission and the goals. I'm here to have a lot of fun, I'm here to have a good time for a long time. So you know here we are, this is the time to have some fun man along the way and I can't wait."
The 39-year-old fighter held the WBC heavyweight title for five years before losing it. He's had a tough run lately, losing 4 out of his last 5 fights. His most recent bout ended in a knockout loss to Zhilei Zhang in the fifth round last June in Riyadh.
Wilder's career took a hit after his trilogy with Tyson Fury. The first fight in December 2018 ended in a split decision draw. Fury then beat Wilder in their 2020 and 2021 rematches.
Despite calls for retirement after these losses, Wilder seems determined to keep going. He talked about his goals in the interview:
"Here I am, the mission is the same, I gotta get these titles man, I gotta do what I gotta do, to feel that greatness, to show the world how great I am, like they know I am. It continues, and I'm looking forward to it. I feels good to be a veteran."
Wilder will get his chance to prove himself soon. He's set to face Tyrrell Herndon in a heavyweight showdown on June 27 at the Charles Kock Arena in Wichita.
