Former world heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder looks primed to return to the heavyweight ranks once his official Nevada suspension ends on April 8th.
As routine with any knockout loss in Las Vegas, the boxer stopped gets an immediate six-month cooling-off period before being allowed to compete again.
That runs from his October 9th trilogy loss to Tyson Fury for Wilder. The event took place at the T-Mobile Arena just off the famous strip near the New York, New York Hotel and Casino, and the Park MGM.
Trainer Malik Scott previously confirmed to WBN in an exclusive interview weeks after the Fury loss that Wilder would be back one hundred percent.
He outlined the position of “The Bronze Bomber” to World Boxing News at the time.
“His whole thing is to get right back. My whole thing is I’m telling him is not only should you rest, but it’s also a deserved rest,” Scott told WBN.
“After the fight, I kept telling people Deontay’s going to rest. I don’t want to talk about boxing with him. I’m not even going to bring boxing up.
“But after the fight, I’d call him like two or three in the morning, wake him up and talk to him about new drills I have for him, new stuff we have to work on [in the gym].
“In a few months, we’ll be back in camp, and he’ll be fighting. We should be back in camp, in my opinion, no later than March and fight in May.
“Or we may be back in camp before March. It all depends on how he recovers, how he’s feeling, how everything’s going.”
Five weeks after Scott’s words, Wilder cast doubt on his career in an interview with Hollywood star Kevin Hart on his ‘Cold as Balls’ show.
“It’s mixed feelings because ultimately, I have accomplished all my goals in this sport. I told my daughter when she was one that I’d be a champion. I’d be able to support her beyond her belief.
“I’ve done that. I’ve accomplished many things that I don’t feel I have to prove to anyone because I’ve already proven.
“Should I push forward? Should I give it a go one more time? Or should I retire and focus on the other things I already have. Other things that I want to get into?”
DEONTAY WILDER
Wilder’s words brought a spate of doom and gloom, predicting he might walk away for good. WBN believes this is firmly not the case.
Knowing the wrecking ball puncher’s mindset, Wilder will not want to go out as he did without any win through his last two bouts.
Returning in the late spring against a top PBC heavyweight would be the order of the day before a long-awaited Pay Per View with Andy Ruiz Jr.
Provided he comes through both of those, then another top division world title shot is a certainty for 2023.
There’s plenty for Deontay Wilder to play for yet. After April 8th, it’s game on.
The views expressed in this article are opinions of Phil Jay.
Phil Jay – Editor of World Boxing News since 2010 with over one billion views. Follow WBN on Twitter @WorldBoxingNews.
