Deontay Wilder reveals how long he plans on continuing fighting for

Ziyad Jamal

Deontay Wilder reveals how long he plans on continuing fighting for image

Deontay Wilder has provided a major update over his boxing future amid doubts over what is next for him in the ring.

Successive losses for the American heavyweight to Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang in the past couple of years led some boxing fans and pundits to call for Wilder to hang up his gloves.

He was brutally finished off inside five rounds by Zhang in their contest last year and looked as if he no longer possessed his renowned explosive power.

Wilder was previously a top contender in the heavyweight division as he once held the WBC title and engaged in an epic trilogy of fights with Tyson Fury.

However, those fights with the British star took plenty out of him physically as the pair frequently landed big blows on one another across the three bouts.

After spending 12 months out of the ring following his loss to Zhang, Wilder returned to action in June this year, where he stopped journeyman Tyrrell Herndon in the seventh round.

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How long does Wilder plan on fighting for ?

Deontay Wilder
(Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing)

With Wilder turning 40 next month and no longer being viewed as a genuine world title contender anymore, many would assume that he will hang his gloves up fairly soon.

However, the American remains confident in his ability and is planning on a lengthy stay in the sport.

"I got 10 years left. You've got to understand, in the heavyweight division, we tend to go a little longer than the rest," he said on the Ariel Helwani Show.

"Being the bigger guys, the division is not as packed as the smaller divisions. We don't take as much damage. Most of the smaller guys, their careers are done by like 30," Wilder explained.

The heavyweight then pointed to boxing stars of the past fighting into their later years.

"See Bernard Hopkins, he went to about 50. I'm not burnt out at all. I feel great you know."

Wilder is somewhat correct in that heavyweights can go on longer than lighter fighters, with a key factor being that they do not have to deal with weight cutting issues.

However, it remains to be seen if Wilder remains true to his intentions and is still competing when he nears 50.

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Ziyad Jamal

Ziyad Jamal contributes to Sporting News - UK Wires as a freelance writer focusing on all sports. He has written for sites including GiveMeSport, Planet Sport and IBTimes UK. He graduated with a degree in BA (Hons) Football Business and Media at UCFB Wembley in 2021.