The Bronze Bomber, also known as Deontay Leshun Wilder, is a 36-year-old American boxer.
He is a skilled boxer with a solid reputation. At 6 feet 7 inches tall, Deontay is a towering presence in the arena.
Despite having a difficult childhood and going through a lot of challenges before becoming an adult, he always gives it his all. His tenacity is impressive and motivating.
About Deontay Wilder| Early life, Family, and Education
In Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on October 22, 1985, Deontay Wilder was born. He has a father named Gary Wilder and a mother named Deborah Wilder.
According to his account, he was raised by his parents up until the age of 17 years old. They belonged to the middle class and went to church.
Of the four siblings in his family, he is the second oldest and also has four siblings. Deontay credits his father’s work ethic and the fact that he acquired these qualities from him while growing up for his success.
He had to go to junior college because of his subpar grades before he could enroll in a university after he left Tuscaloosa High School.
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He originally intended to play basketball or football for the Alabama Crimson Tide, the team from his hometown. The birth of his daughter, however, caused his plans to thaw.
When he was 20 years old, Deontay began boxing for the first time. His college of choice was Shelton State Community College.
In his memoir, Wilder talks about his struggles with depression and how, at one time, he even considered shooting himself.
He heroically fought against it, and as a result, he is currently depressed- and suicidal-thought-free.
Professional Life and Career
Renowned for his powerful and intimidating punching, and aside from Tyson Fury, every opponent he has faced has been knocked out by him.
Career and Records of Amateurs
Wilder was 20 years old and exceedingly insecure when he first stood up at the Skyy Boxing Gym in Northport, Alabama. As he began working with Jay Deas, he was unsure.
Before that day, Wilder had never thought about making a profession out of boxing. He had always desired to play football or basketball.
However, boxing was a perfect fit for him, and within two years, he had won the US Championships and the National Golden Gloves at 91 kg.
Riding in my 64’ Impala SS…
Listening to the sounds in the streets
as the cars honk their horn and people
gathering together to make a joyful noise
into the universe as Victory is Celebrated.
A new beginning has begun!#BomZquad #TilThisDay ??✊?⚔️ pic.twitter.com/GP14xeSiEt— Deontay Wilder (@BronzeBomber) November 8, 2020
In the Golden Gloves championship match, Deontay Wilder triumphed once more over the renowned Isiah Thomas and David Thompson. As well, he prevailed over Quantis Graves and beat Californian James Zimmerman in the championship match.
Following a strong showing at the Olympics trial, he competed in the Olympics 2008 and took home the bronze medal by defeating Abdelaziz Toulbini of Algeria and Mohamed Arjaoui of Morocco. Ultimately, he came up short against Italian Clemente Russo and accepted the bronze.
Career as a Professional
Wilder began his professional career at the age of 23. He defeated Etham Cox in November 2008 at Nashville, Tennessee’s Vanderbilt University Memorial Gym.
All seven of Wilder’s victories in 2009 came in the first round. Wilder had won 25 straight matches by knockout in the first four rounds by the year 2012.
DeAndre Abron, a former WBO heavyweight title contender, Damon Reed, and Owen Black, a former WBA heavyweight title contender, were all defeated by him.
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Deontay Wilder won his first boxing championship in 2012 after defeating Kelvin Price. After adopting a cautious strategy for the first two rounds, Wilder defeated Price with a punch to the jaw.
In 2013 at the Motorpoint Arena in Sheffield, Wilder fought Olympic gold medalist and former heavyweight champion Audley Harrison.
Harrison had promised to stop fighting if he lost, but Wilder knocked him out in the first round.
Furthermore,
At Wembley Arena, Derek Chisora and Wilder were supposed to face off. Nevertheless, the fight was abandoned after Deontay Wilder was arrested in Las Vegas, Nevada, for domestic abuse. A few days later, Wilder hired Al Haymon to be his new counselor.
Deontay Wilder then took on Siarhei Liakhovich and won the first round. As a result, Liakhovich stumbled and jerked.
Liakhovich said Wiler had illegally hit him after the altercation.
Wilder faced Nicolai Firth, continuing his streak of victories by knockout. He submitted Malik Scott in the first minute and 36 seconds of their battle.
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As a result of Vitali Klitschko’s retirement, Deontay Wilder was now compelled to challenge Bermane Stiverne for the vacant WBC Heavyweight title, which Chris Arreola had previously held. Stiverne defeated Arreola to claim the championship.
The WBC Heavyweight Title
At the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Wilder and Stiverne squared off for the WBC World Championship.
After twelve rounds, Deontay Wilder defeated Stiverne by unanimous decision to become the first American heavyweight champion since Hasim Rahman.
Muhammad Ali, who turned 73 on that day, and Wilder’s daughter who is disabled were both honored in his victory speech. From the one bout, Wilder reportedly made $1 million.
Following the game, he severed ties with the Golden Boys, and Al Haymon took over as his new manager.
When it was first held in Alabama, in May 2015, Wilder indicated that he would be making his first defense there.
Eric Manila, a driven Mexican-American boxer who was vying for the WBC heavyweight title, was his opponent. After 4 rounds, Wilder won the match decisively in Manila.
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In August 2015 at the Legacy Arena in Alabama, Wilder faced up against Johann Duhaupas. After overcoming a difficult opponent, Wilder won again and later praised Duhaupas.
Duhaupas received roughly $140,000, while Wilder took home close to $1.4 million from just this one encounter.
In December 2015, Deontay Wilder and Artur Szpilka’s bout at the Barclays Center in New York City was formally announced.
In the ninth round, Wilder delivered a knockout strike to conclude the contest after trailing throughout the first three rounds.
Rumors and Controversies
A career-high compensation of $1.5 million went to Wilder, while Szpilka took home just $250,000. The knockout was chosen by Premier Boxing Championships as the finest knockout of the year.
On May 26, 2016, Chris Arreola, a previous two-time contender for the world championship, faced Wilder. This match was made more interesting by Arreola’s removal from the rankings after testing positive for marijuana.
The altercation happened at Legacy Arena in Alabama. The entire fight was dominated and controlled by Wilder, who ultimately won. Arreola received a matching payment of $150,000, while Wilder took home $1.4 million.
The fight had a sizable audience on FOX, with about 1.8 million people.
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On July 30, 2018, it was revealed that Tyson Fury, the reigning heavyweight world champion, would take on Wilder. Wilder and Fury fought in the Staples Center in front of about 18,000 spectators.
The battle was a success for Wiandandr, FOX news, and even Fury because they all made a ton of money from it. While Wilder made over $14 million, Fury made about $10 million.
Povetkin in Russia, Breazeale, Washington in Alabama, Stiverne once more, Ortiz, Fury, etc. were just a few of the fights that stood out in his memory, much like Deontay Wilder.
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Deontay Wilder’s achievements and honors
- Earned a bronze medal for his nation in the 2008 Olympics while serving as an Olympic representative.
- Won the heavyweight US National Championship in 2007
- 2007 Golden Gloves champion
- Pope Francis designated him the Boxing Ambassador for Peace.
Relationship Status
In 2005, Wilder and his ex-girlfriend Helen Duncan had their first child. She was born with the spinal cord condition spina bifida. For the sake of his daughter, he had to drop out of school.
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Together with his ex-wife Jessica Scales Wilder, he had a son and two daughters. In 2009, the two were married; they later divorced.
Deontay Wilder and Teli Swift have a child together, and they are now engaged. Even the reality television program WAGS Atlanta featured the couple.
Struggle
He struggled with despair, and anxiety, and even considered suicide at the start of his career. He attributes his resilience and accomplishment to the challenging times he had to endure.
Grand Garden Arena is where champions are made. ? We’re taking a look back on Deontay Wilder’s 1st fight @MGMGrand v Bermane Stiverne in 2015 when he won his belt for the 1st time.
Will @BronzeBomber get another W vs. @Tyson_Fury? Find out 2/22. #WilderFury2
?: @premierboxing pic.twitter.com/2eNpWVrYUT— MGM Grand Hotel (@MGMGrand) February 13, 2020
Similarly, He replies when questioned about the incident.
“You don’t consider the impact it would have on your family, including your daughter, children, and so on… You just get selfish when you’re in that frame of mind.
“You consider the agony you’re currently experiencing, both inside and outside of yourself.”
A younger sibling of Deontay’s is a professional boxer as well. With a 5-2 record, Marcellos Wilder competes in the cruiserweight division at the moment.
Net Worth and Salary | Deontay Wilder
Deontay Wilder is a successful athlete. Wilder’s $30 million projected net worth. Deontay’s children should benefit from his fortune, as he wishes to provide for them.
Social Media
Twitter and Instagram are used by Wilder. Deontay is a transparent individual who uses his social media accounts to post about his personal life and other topics.
Popular Quotes | Deontay Wilder
- “No matter what you have accomplished in the past or what you are capable of, you will have problems if you encounter a man like me.”
- “Particularly in the age of social media, people might be overly harsh. It depresses a person.”
- “This is what it’s going to take for me to create my legacy and become the person I want to become: to hit the road and journey. So let’s go about it.”
- ‘God gave me strength. I’m still unsure of my power’s boundaries.”
Frequently Asked Question:
Are Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder rivals?
They don’t necessarily hate each other, but they are each other’s top rivals for the Heavyweight Championship.
What is Deontay Wilder’s net worth?
Deontay Wilder is a wealthy man with an estimated net worth of $30 million.
Who is the trainer of Deontay Wilder?
Mark Breland had been Deontay Wilder’s coach in the past, but Jay Deas has since taken over.
How did Wilder fare?
Before being defeated by Tyson Fury to become the WBC champion, Deontay had a bicep injury.
How powerful of a puncher is Deontay Wilder?
Deontay’s punch power is rated as a perfect 10 by those who have been struck by it.
Quick Facts | Deontay Wilder
Full Name | Deontay Leshun Wilder |
Birth Date | October 22, 1985 |
Birth Place | Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States |
Nick Name | The Bronze Bomber |
Religion | Christian |
Nationality | American |
Ethnicity | African |
Education | Tuscaloosa High School |
Horoscope | Libra |
Father’s Name | Gary Wilder |
Mother’s Name | Deborah Wilder |
Siblings | 4 |
Age | 36 years old |
Height | 6 ft 7 in (2.06m) |
Weight | 96 kg |
Hair Color | Black |
Eye Color | Black |
Build | Athletic |
Profession | Boxer |
Current Team | Independent |
Stance | Orthodox |
Active Years | 2009- present |
Marital Status | Engaged to Teli Swift |
Children | Eight |
Salary | N/A |
Net Worth | $30 million |
Social Media | Instagram, Twitter |
Last Update | August, 2022 |