Former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder returns to the ring against Tyrrell Anthony Herndon (25-5, 15 KOs) in a tune-up level fight this summer on June 27th at the Charles Koch Arena, Wichita, Kansas.
This is a must-win fight for the 39-year-old Wilder because he’s lost his last two fights and four out of his last five since 2020. ‘The Bronze Bomber’ Wilder (43-4-1, 42 KOs) has looked gunshy in his last two fights, afraid to throw his right hand.
A Must-Win
Deontay will probably choose to retire if he loses to Herndon, as this is the type of opponent that he should be able to beat quite easily if he throws punches. However, with the timid way that Wilder has fought since his loss to Tyson Fury in 2020, he could lose this fight as well. That defeat took the best out of the 2008 Olympic bronze medalist.
Herndon, 37, is a ten-year pro who was knocked out in two rounds in his fight against Richard Torrez on October 14, 2023. That’s the only notable fighter on Herndon’s resume, and he was blown out of the water. Torrez made it look easy, destroying Herndon.
He’s a much more aggressive fighter than Wilder is at this stage of his career. If Wilder could fight like Torrez, he might not have lost any of his fights in the last four years.
For Deontay’s fight to be staged in Kansas, it’s a pretty far drop from the Las Vegas venues that he’d been fighting at during his best years of his career. It shows how far his career has declined due to his repeated defeats and poor performances since 2020.
Ideally, if Wilder can string together three or four victories over tomato cans, he could put himself into a world title shot situation, and maybe get lucky picking off whoever holds the belt by the time for the strap. I don’t see it, but it’s possible. Deontay still has the punching power, but his courage seems to have left his body entirely.
Last Updated on 03/28/2025
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