Deontay Wilder wants to become the unified world heavyweight champion again. The former WBC heavyweight champ made his comeback to the ring last month and set this goal for himself.
Wilder stepped back into action on June 27 in Wichita, Kansas. He faced Tyrrell Herndon in a non-title bout and stopped him in the seventh round. This marked Wilder's return after a tough stretch in his career.
The Bronze Bomber had a rough end to 2023 when Joseph Parker, a former WBO heavyweight champion, outpointed him. Things got even tougher in June 2024 when Zhilei 'Big Bang' Zhang knocked him out in the fifth round.
Despite these setbacks, Wilder's not ready to throw in the towel. At a recent press conference, he made his intentions clear:
"I'm not proving nothing to anyone, not even myself, but when I set goals in life I look to accomplish them. One of the easiest thing to do in life is to give up, is to quit, to put that white flag up and say 'I surrender' but I don't have that in me. I tell people many times I'll die for what I believe in and that ain't no lie, so at this moment in time I set a goal to unify the division, I brought it back one time and I will do it again."
Wilder's words show he's not just after personal glory. He's determined to reach his goal of unifying the heavyweight division, something he's done before as the long-reigning WBC heavyweight champion.
The next step for Wilder isn't set in stone yet. There's talk he might fight again before the year ends. Some people think he could face Anthony Joshua, who's been the unified heavyweight champion twice.
Wilder's comeback and his bold statement show he's ready for the final chapter of his career. He's not out to prove anything to anyone but himself. The Bronze Bomber's got his sights set on the top of the heavyweight division once more.
