Deontay Wilder will return to the ring after one win his last five fights against Tyrrell Herndon in Kansas.
Deontay Wilder has had an unfortunate turn in his career in the past few years, after the biggest fight of his career, in which he sent Tyson Fury to the canvas in what seemed like a shot no man could get up from.
Since that night, Wilder’s career has been turbulent, with two wins ahead of the Fury rematch, and just win after it, losing to Zhilei Zhang and Joseph Parker in his most recent fights.
One of the men he beat in between Fury fights was a man who had given him a tough test just a few fights before.
Deontay Wilder ran a razor-close fight with a Cuban powerhouse
In 2018, just nine months before his first fight with Fury, Wilder faced 28-0 Luis Ortiz.
Ortiz had 24 knockouts to his name, and, like Wilder, who may move to MMA soon, was a feared powerpuncher.
The fight was the toughest of Wilder’s career to date lasting up until the tenth round. Wilder was eventually able to secure a stoppage win over Ortiz, but the scorecards showed just how vital the knockout was to ‘The Bronze Bomber’s career.
Even though Bermane Stiverne took Wilder the distance and Ortiz didn’t, scorecards of 85-84, 85-84, 85-84, showed the close nature of the fight, and how Wilder vs Fury was almost spoilt by Ortiz.
Ortiz has since lost to Wilder, who sparred Filip Hrgovic, again in a far more convincing performance, as well as Andy Ruiz Jr.
Deontay Wilder has gone the distance three times in his 48-fight career
Wilder’s first time going the distance was when Bermane Stiverne broke his 32-fight-long knockout streak, becoming the first man to go the distance with him.
It was in this fight that Wilder won his WBC world heavyweight title. He rematched Stiverne and righted his wrongs, stopping him in the very first round.
The next time he went the distance was against Fury in their thrilling first fight, which ended in a draw.
The third and final time Wilder ever went the full 12 rounds was when Parker defeated him in a near shutout victory.