Deontay Wilder will step back into the ring on June 27 at Charles Koch Arena in Wichita. The former WBC heavyweight champion plans to fight his way back to the top of the division.
Wilder, known as "The Bronze Bomber," hasn't fought since June 2023. In that bout, Zhilei 'Big Bang' Zhang knocked him out in the fifth round during a Queensberry vs Matchroom show in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It marked Wilder's fourth loss in his last five fights.
The 39-year-old from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, told TMZ Sports about his comeback plans:
"I'm coming back for all the belts, you know the heavyweight division I brought it back years ago in 2015 and I'm gonna bring it back again."
Wilder's opponent for the June 27 fight will be Tyrrell Herndon. Despite this being a warm-up bout, Wilder isn't taking it lightly:
"I'm taking him seriously, we've got a lot of fights lined up for this year, two for sure but three maybe. It's going to be a great fight whilst it lasts but this warm up, tune up, I'm taking it serious and once completing the task then we move on into the lighter of the bigger and better fights. This is the tester."
The former champion plans to have two or three fights this year. He aims to use this initial bout as a stepping stone to bigger matchups as he works his way back to title contention.
Wilder's return comes almost a year after his last fight. He'll look to shake off the ring rust and prove he still has what it takes to compete at the highest level of heavyweight boxing.
His recent setbacks have been tough, but Wilder remains focused on regaining his world heavyweight championship status. The road back to the top starts on June 27 in Wichita.
