Deontay Wilder is yet to resurface as a professional boxer six months from back-to-back losses against heavyweight rival Tyson Fury.
The former long-reigning WBC champion last fought in October when suffering a second successive stoppage to Fury.
Questions of whether Wilder will make a return whatsoever become more apparent with months flying by with no word on the decision.
As World Boxing News reported, Premier Boxing Champions still want to work with Wilder on a Pay Per View with Andy Ruiz Jr.
Al Haymon wants to pit the two former heavyweight rulers against each other in a potential eliminator. However, Wilder hasn’t been forthcoming despite those plans being in the pipeline since 2020.
Fury arbitration stopped the first attempt as Wilder wanted the most significant payday possible. Ruiz would have only garnered a fraction of the Fury earnings.
Therefore, Wilder launched his bid to force the Fury contract and subsequently won. This decision then left Ruiz in limbo.
The Mexican-American made a comeback from defeat to Anthony Joshua in 2019 against Chris Arreola in May 2021. According to former training partner Canelo Alvarez since then, Ruiz has been indisciplined again and not training full time.
As the weeks develop, Clouds hang over Ruiz, leaving Haymon in a tough spot. A possible Ruiz vs. Luis Ortiz clash remains in the planning phase currently.
DEONTAY WILDER
Regarding Deontay Wilder, there’s no doubting he can come again. At the age of 36, there’s still time and much left in the locker for fans to enjoy.
Barring Fury, Wilder took no other punishment during his career and is still one of the most exciting fighters in the game.
Several options are on the table, not only Andy Ruiz Jr.
Anthony Joshua, who fights in another redemption attempt against Oleksandr Usyk this summer, would still be an exciting fight – win or lose.
In 2018, Joshua and Wilder failed to see eye-to-eye on an undisputed clash that was a guaranteed blockbuster double on both sides of the Atlantic.
As it turned out, AJ moved on to Alexander Povetkin. Wilder, to his credit, went to the next best available option – Fury.
The pair then fought on Showtime in what was Joshua’s original spot. The $50 million offer Joshua asked for got disregarded in favor of chasing home advantage.
Pitting the two together in a grudge match four or five years later at the back end of their careers would still be a money-spinning Pay Per View.
And whisper it quietly, but the fourth match-up with Fury, after being named Fight of the Year in 2021, still has legs – albeit smaller ones.
Whatever Wilder decides to do, respect goes out to him for his career achievements. But going out on the back to losses doesn’t quite seem a Deontay Wilder thing to do.
WBN Editor Phil has over ten years of boxing news experience. Follow WBN us on Twitter @WorldBoxingNews.