In a recent interview on DAZN’s YouTube channel, ‘The Bronze Bomber’, Deontay Wilder speaks on his loss to Joseph Parker, his upcoming clash with Zhilei Zhang, and has even hinted at hanging up the gloves. With Deontay Wilder retiring being a real possibility, the heavyweight division may enter a new era.

Deontay Wilder, now 43-3-1, is set to fight ‘Big Bang’ Zhilei Zhang on June 1st, as part of the Matchroom vs Queensberry 5v5 card, with Wilder acting as Captain for Team Matchroom.

The battle of the two biggest punchers in the sport right now is high stakes for both men having each come off a loss to Joseph Parker, who has been on an impressive run of form lately and will surely make this contest a must-win for both.

With Deontay Wilder coming off his third-ever career defeat, with two losses to ‘The Gypsy King’, Tyson Fury, who has now suffered a loss of his own, and a complete shutout decision loss to Parker more recently, The Alabama-native will be wanting to put that performance behind him come Saturday night.

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Wilder was scheduled to fight Anthony Joshua if he beat Parker that night in Riyadh, with AJ-Ngannou being made instead as a result of the fight’s outcome.

For Zhang, it, too is a must-win. Though his performance against Parker was better, having knocked him down twice, his slower pace and willingness to give rounds away cost him the fight, and at age 41, he may not have many more big fights, or big opportunities, left.

On the undercard is another heavyweight clash in Daniel DuBois and Filip Hrgovic, with Hrgovic being the only other man to beat Zhang it what was widely regarded as a controversial decision win.

Nick Ball takes on Raymond Ford for Ford’s world titles, and Hamzah Sheeraz locks horns with Ammo Williams elsewhere on the card. Willy Hutchinson is also set to take on Craig Richards.

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Deontay Wilder RETIRING?

In the interview, when asked about the Parker fight, Wilder said, ‘I trained hard, but I couldn’t pull the trigger.’

He suggests a potential reason for this was the ‘long lay-off’, with Deontay Wilder having only fought one round, against Robert Helenius, in over two years.

Wilder goes on to say, ‘It’s going to be a different fight this time round, and if it’s not a different fight then retirement is definitely highly, highly considered.’

Wilder also set out his ambitions, ‘I want to be a unified champion’.

Find out on June 1st who will win, the big bombs of ‘The Bronze Bomber’, or the ‘Chinese power’ of ‘Big Bang Zhang’.

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