Deontay Wilder returned to winning ways on Saturday night, stopping Tyrrell Herndon in the seventh round of a low-profile bout in Wichita, Kansas, that offered more relief than reassurance for the former heavyweight champion.
It was Wilder’s first victory since October 2022, ending a streak of three losses in four fights — most recently a punishing fifth-round stoppage at the hands of Chinese southpaw Zhilei Zhang in June 2024.
But this win, against a faded opponent in Herndon, came without the electricity and spectacle once synonymous with the man dubbed the “Bronze Bomber.” There was no glittering entrance, no pay-per-view build-up, no sold-out arena — just a former world champion seeking redemption in front of a modest crowd at the Charles Koch Arena and no major TV coverage.
Still, it was a win. Wilder, now 39, dropped Herndon in the second and sixth rounds before sealing the deal in the seventh with two thunderous right hands, forcing the referee to step in.
“I’ve been laid off for a long time, getting myself back together emotionally,” Wilder said post-fight. “It is just nice to be back in the ring. This is a new beginning for me.”
Herndon, 37, came in as a heavy underdog, having lost five of his previous 28 bouts, and was stopped in two rounds by rising American prospect Richard Torrez Jr last year. Against Wilder, he showed heart but little resistance to the power that once made the former WBC champion boxing’s most feared knockout artist.
Wilder’s performance was controlled and methodical. Rather than relying on the trademark right hand that floored 43 of his previous 44 opponents, Wilder used his jab and left hook more than usual, showing a desire to evolve his approach.
“I wanted to display more,” he said. “Taking my time to be able to set up my shot and become more than my right hand. I want to become a complete, all-round fighter.”
Yet the question remains: how much of the old Wilder still remains?
Since his brutal trilogy with Tyson Fury — which ended in two stoppage defeats and one draw — Wilder has struggled to recapture the aura that once surrounded him. His flat performance in a unanimous decision loss to Joseph Parker in 2023 ended hopes of a long-anticipated clash with Anthony Joshua. The loss to Zhang seemed, to many, like a career-ending blow.
Wilder vanished from the spotlight after that fight, splitting with long-time trainer Malik Scott and taking time to work with a sports psychologist.
Despite the adversity, Wilder maintains that retirement was never on the table.
“I never planned to walk away. I needed time to repair myself emotionally and mentally,” he said. “This was always part of the plan.”
Whether Wilder can return to world title contention remains doubtful. With Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois set to contest the undisputed crown next month, Wilder is far from the title picture. But in the heavyweight division, reputation and power still carry weight.
“When you’re in the heavyweight division, you’re always one fight away from a title fight,” Wilder said, hinting he won’t be rushed into taking on the sport’s elite again. “Sometimes, it ain’t all about the money.”
A matchup with Joshua — still a huge draw despite diminished titles — remains a possibility. Wilder vs. Ngannou, in a crossover mega-fight in Africa, has also been discussed. British fan-favourite Dave Allen is another name that’s surfaced.
What’s clear is that Wilder, though no longer invincible, is not yet finished. He may never reclaim the title of world champion, but for one night in Kansas, he reclaimed something else — belief.
And in boxing, belief can still be a dangerous weapon.
