Deontay Wilder sent the boxing world spinning after hinting at retirement following his loss in the fight against Joseph Parker. However, in a post-fight interview, he shut down any rumors about retirement and confirmed his intention to return to the ring. Parker secured a unanimous decision victory over Wilder in what was an unexpected outcome of the ‘Day of Reckoning’ event.
Frank Warren, the promoter for the event, indicated that there was an issue with Wilder during the fight. His company refrained from offering any alibis for Wilder’s defeat, but his co-manager, Shelly Finkel, disclosed a pre-fight problem to Warren which might have impacted his performance.
Despite being rocked by Parker in the eighth round, Wilder displayed impressive resilience and determination to weather the storm. Parker strategically dodged the majority of Wilder’s powerful punches and maintained his composure throughout the twelve rounds.
Warren, commenting on Wilder’s performance, remarked, “I thought he looked pretty dreadful.” He also praised Parker’s performance and disclosed that Wilder had a problem.”
Following the fight, many were expecting Wilder to make excuses for his loss, including blaming his royal outfit. However, in his post-fight interview, he emphasized that he wouldn’t make any excuses and credited Parker for his performance despite believing he did enough to win.
It remains to be seen where Wilder’s boxing career will head following his loss, with a Wilder fight seeming increasingly unlikely.