Deontay Wilder is hoping to revive his career this weekend with a win over 24-5 Tyrrell Herndon.
Deontay Wilder was one of the most feared heavyweights in boxing when he faced Tyson Fury, dropping him and almost securing a stoppage win.
Since their rematch, though, Wilder has won just one fight, and has lost to Joseph Parker, Zhilei Zhang, and Fury twice.
Years before his fall from grace, ‘The Bronze Bomber’ almost engaged in a brawl with one British boxer also known as ‘The Bomber’.
Deontay Wilder almost came to blows with Tony Bellew in 2017
In 2017, Tony Bellew scored a big 11th-round TKO win over David Haye, in what was his first heavyweight contest.
‘The Bomber’ Bellew encountered Wilder at another fight that same year, and almost came to blows.
Much was said in their verbal exchange, including Bellew suggesting in one heavyweight fight he’s beaten a better name than Wilder has in nearly 40 fights.
Bellew also said to Wilder, who has hinted at fighting Anthony Joshua: “I was ‘The Bomber’ first.”
He also told the Tuscaloosa fighter: “My boxing brain is far better than yours.”
Wilder’s brother even got involved, suggesting Bellew wouldn’t be able to beat him.
Tony Bellew won once more after the Wilder exchange before retiring
After the near-brawl in 2017, Bellew rematched Haye in 2018, this time winning via fifth-round stoppage.
The two Bellew fights were Haye’s last, as he retired shortly after.
Bellew, meanwhile, had one more go at the cruiserweight world titles, when he faced Oleksandr Usyk in November 2018.
Bellew, who punched Michael B. Jordan, fought well, and was up on two scorecards and even on the other going into the eighth round. It was there, though, that Usyk picked up the pace and dismantled the Liverpudlian, handing him his second and final knockout defeat.
Bellew says the ref saved his life that night.