Deontay Wilder will finally return to action in the coming months after confirming his desire to fight again following five months of nothing.
“The Bronze Bomber” has been traveling the world, taking to social media and ignoring his scheduled next opponent for far too long.
Wilder has stated he’s ready to get back on the horse.
“I have been enjoying family, life, and all that it brings. But now it’s time to return to the ring,” stated the former five-year reigning World Boxing Council heavyweight champion.
The startling fact about Wilder’s eventual confirmation is that his next fight has been lined up since October. The American puncher and Mexico’s first top-division champion Andy Ruiz Jr. agreed to fight in 2022.
Deontay Wilder vs Andy Ruiz Jr
Handler Al Haymon lobbied the WBC to get sanction for two eliminators, leading to a massive final eliminator between the pair.
Ruiz beat Luis Ortiz. Weeks later, Wilder knocked out Robert Helenius in seconds. Wilder vs Ruiz was expected to be announced to occur in the spring of 2023.
An initial date of March 25 came and went. It ended up going to David Benavidez vs Caleb Plant. May 6 was the next offering until Canelo snatched it for his Jalisco homecoming.
At that point, a disillusioned Ruiz made a shocking statement. He said: “On behalf of myself and Team Ruiz, we would like to thank TGB Promotions and President Tom Brown for their great support.
“My contract with TBG Promotions has come to an end. I will now move forward as part of the PBC Family with Al Haymon as my advisor.
“I am excited to continue pursuing the biggest fights and taking on the top fighters in my division. Thank you all for your continued support. I can’t wait to see what 2023 brings.”
WBC final eliminator
That brings Deontay Wilder. It’s the only fight Haymon wants to make for either fighter in 2023. The only question is, do both need a tune-up after so long out of action?
The blame for that firmly lands at Wilder’s door. He’s the one pursuing other options and taking time out despite doing similar when he lost to Tyson Fury for the second time.
As World Boxing News reported first, a new date of May 20 had been booked at the MGM Grand. It remains to be seen whether this can work for the two former titleholders or whether they have to now wait until the summer.
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