Boxing promoter Frank Warren believes former WBC world heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder was nursing an injury heading into his fight with Joseph Parker at Day of Reckoning in Saudi Arabia on Saturday. Wilder, 38, was defeated by Parker, 31, in a resounding unanimous decision.
The defeat condemned the Bronze Bomber to just one win in nearly three years. His last victory came in October 2022 against Robert Helenius inside the Barclays Center, in New York. “I thought he [Wilder] looked pretty dreadful,” Warren told talkSPORT. “He did a very good job, Joe, right from the start.”
Warren then revealed a member of Wilder’s team suggested the American had an injury of some kind heading into Saturday’s fight. He added: “I really don’t know what he does now, Deontay. I was just talking to Shelly Finkel [Wilder’s manager] and they were telling me that he had a problem. He went into one of those Cryochambers and sat in it for a long time. I don’t know. Obviously, there’s going to be some excuse.”
Wilder’s loss to Parker has all but ended his chances of inking the reported two-fight deal to take on two-time world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, who won his fight against Otto Wallin on the same card.
So far, though, Wilder has taken the humble approach. “I did [think he did enough to win], but my timing was off a little bit,” Wilder said. “Joseph did a great job in avoiding my punches. We make no excuses tonight, it was a good fight and we move on to the next thing. Like I said, timing was off a little bit, he did a good job of avoiding and ducking. I did feel like I had the upper hand, but things happen.”
Speaking in the ring after his defeat, Wilder also refused to rule out retirement. He did, however, change his tune when he got back to his hotel room. “I’ll be back,” he insisted in a video. AJ’s promoter, Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing, expressed his disappointment in the result after it canned plans for a lucrative scrap between his man and Wilder.
“I said in the build-up I don’t rate him,” he claimed. “Wilder had no idea, no clue. He lost every round. He had his hand up telling the referees he won the fight.
“He’s not right. That’s the reality. It was the most one-sided heavyweight fight I’ve ever seen. It’s ruined our plans.”