Eddie Hearn Reveals Why Deontay Wilder is ‘Just Not the Same’

The ‘Bronze Bomber’ Deontay Wilder (43-4-1, 42 KOs) recently suffered a devastating loss in his fight against Chinese heavyweight ‘Big Bang’ Zhilei Zhang (27-2-1, 22 KOs). Post the fight, boxing aficionados expressed concerns about the 5^th round TKO potentially paving the way for Wilder’s retirement from the fight. Meanwhile, Matchroom boss Eddie Hearn recently shed light on this possibility and revealed that he isn’t the fighter he once was.

FightHub TV caught up with Hearn after the 5v5 fight. In conversation, he delved into Wilder’s recent set of losses and his thoughts on how his fighting spirit seems to have died out.

“He’s just not the same, in all honesty. I just feel like his confidence isn’t there anymore, and you have to ask yourself, ‘Why?’ Is it just the timing? Is there something else wrong?” he said. “He doesn’t let his hands go, and that’s what made him one of the most feared fighters in the world. He’s not the fighter he was at this point. People come back, but the road is too far gone.”

Wilder lost four out of his last five fights. This also includes two consecutive losses against Tyson Fury (34-1-1, 24 KOs). His only victory was against Rober Helenius (32-5, 21 KOs) in 2022. “He lit up the heavyweight division. He didn’t have a lot of wins against elite-level guys, but he had some good ones, and it was exciting. He had great fights with Tyson Fury, so he’ll be remembered,” Hearn added.

“You’ve Ran Your Course”

It seems like Wilder is not the only one who feels like his time inside the professional ring has come to an end. In fact, his mother, Deborah Wilder, sent him a message after his loss to Zhang. “I texted him and said, ‘Son, we’re having a party for you. You gave us the best boxing in the USA when boxing was dead. You’ve gotten older. You’ve ran your course in your journey,” she said in an interview with USA Today. “It’s time to celebrate.”

Should Wilder retire from boxing? Or should he give the sport another go?

Joshua Ben Joseph

Joshua Ben Joseph is a Boxing writer renowned for his unparalleled coverage of live events and insightful interviews with prominent athletes in the world of combat sports. With a career spanning over several years, he has authored more than 800 articles. As an experienced editorial cartoonist and investigative journalist, Joshua has a keen eye for detail and a passion for delivering quality content. Aside from his writing, Joshua is an avid powerlifter and solo traveler, embodying the same spirit of determination and exploration that he brings to his work. With a deep love for the sport of boxing that dates back to childhood, he is committed to delivering the highest quality content and helping to build a more transparent and credible industry.

See author's posts