Fellow heavyweights pleaded with Deontay Wilder to return to the sport after retirement talk intensified.
Wilder gave an impassioned speech when speaking to Premier Boxing Champions, leaving most fifty-fifty on whether they believe Wilder will fight again.
“The Bronze Bomber,” said: “When you have a strong, powerful, outspoken exciting heavyweight like myself, boxing is beautiful. When you have an exciting heavyweight, then boxing thrives.
“I am living proof, and you don’t have that heavyweight there no more things start to die down.
“I even had guys that are in the heavyweight division reach out and say champ. The division is not the same without you. We need our champ back.”
Those who told Wilder to come back may be in line to face him and eventually become knockout fodder. Therefore, they must either want a payday or must really think the division is lost without Deontay Wilder.
Deontay Wilder return
As the former WBC champion explained, it’s not only the fighters.
“So many have sent messages boxing is dead. It’s boring without you. I hear it all the time, trust me, from top people.
“That’s fans of boxing and those people in boxing. But I am definitely considering coming back.
“This is something that we are trying to figure out and get things situated. I just felt a re-boost for my career and coming back for my people.
“When they gave me my statue and to see so many people come and bring their young sons out and see what an example of the greatness of black excellence looks like.
“When I see so many messages thanking me for being who I am, I am being real and relatable, how I made it out of a struggle and still can motivate people and inspire them to be great.
Patience
“The hard thing about it is the patience. No one wants to wait. We all feel like we need it right now, but you know what they say, good things come to those who wait.
“It’s not really about the financial things. Also, I put myself in a position where I never have to return to boxing ever again.
“I have set my life up, and as I was running my career. I dictated how I wanted things to go.
“And I made smart moves and smart investments. I didn’t rush it, and I had a great team, one that I am blessed with. I never have to return again.
“I’m just in a great spot in life and did the majority of what we said we wanted to do. We did it, we set a game plan, and we executed it.
“I am living my dream, not the American dream but my dream for my family and me.”
If Deontay Wilder returns, information should get released by the end of the summer.
WBN Editor Phil has over ten years of boxing news experience. Follow World Boxing News on Facebook @officialworldboxingnews and Twitter @worldboxingnews.
