No Filter Boxing - Zhilei Zhang vs Joe Joyce II
Sep 24Without question one of the most ferocious knockout artists in combat sports history, Deontay Wilder is an Olympic bronze medallist and former heavyweight champion.
Hailing from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, the 35-year-old made ten successful defences of his WBC strap before coming up short in a rematch against Tyson Fury last winter.
Fury vs Wilder 3: It's time to settle this!
After their first two epic battles, Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder finally settle their feud once and for all exclusively live on BT Sport Box Office on Saturday 9 October. Book your seat for this unmissable trilogy war now.
The 35-year-old was left nursing his pride after being stopped for the first time in his career by the Gypsy King - but Wilder will hope to have his revenge when the pair trade leather once again this summer.
Deontay Wilder: Amateur career
A naturally gifted athlete, Wilder enjoyed success as an amateur despite coming to boxing relatively late on in his life.
He was 20 years old when he first linked up with former long-time trainer Jay Deas, upsetting the odds to win both the National Golden Gloves and US championships and secured Olympic qualification after just 21 bouts.
At the Beijing Games - the same tournament in which James DeGale and David Price became household names in the UK - Wilder won bronze for his country before returning home and turning pro.
Deontay Wilder: Record
In an era in which fighters now face increasing pressure to challenge for world titles within 16 or 17 fights, Wilder's record stands out as something of an anomaly.
As a relatively inexperienced fighter despite his Olympic credentials, Wilder continued to learn on the job throughout the early days of his career.
He fought 25 times in a little under four years before challenging for his first minor title, stopping Kelvin Price in the third round to secure the WBA Continental Americas heavyweight strap.
Two fights later, in April 2013, Wilder would announce himself to British boxing fans with a whirlwind first-round knockout of former Olympic gold medallist Audley Harrison in Sheffield.
Four further consecutive kayos - including the first round demolition of Malik Scott - earned Wilder the a maiden world title shot against WBC king Bermane Stiverne.
Stiverne would take Wilder the distance for the first time in his career but the Bronze Bomber triumphed to secure the belt on the scorecards.
From there, Wilder did not look back, embarking on a destructive 10-fight reign stopping the likes of Eric Molina, Artur Szpilka, Chris Arreola, Dominic Breazeale and Luis Ortiz twice.
Fury came close to ending his reign in 2018 only for the bout to be score a split draw - but the Gypsy King would snatch the belt in dominant fashion in the rematch last February, stopping Wilder in the seventh round.
Deontay Wilder: Knockouts
Where do we start?
Deontay Wilder might well be the hardest hitter in boxing history, relieving all but one man he has faced of their senses.
After Wilder stopped Bermane Stiverne inside the first round in a 2017 rematch of their 2015 title fight, Tyson Fury now stands alone as the only man Wilder has fought and not knocked out.
He has 41 kayos to his name from 44 fights.
Deontay Wilder: Height
Wilder is 6ft 7in (201cm).
Deontay Wilder: Reach
Wilder's reach is 83in (211 cm).
Deontay Wilder: Trainer
Deontay Wilder underwent an acrimonious split from many of his long-time coaches and cornermen following his defeat to Tyson Fury in February last year.
Head trainer Jay Deas has gone, as has coach Mark Breland, who threw the towel in during the seventh round in Los Angeles to spare his many any more punishment at Fury's hands last year.
A furious Wilder later accused Breland of all manner of transgressions from spiking his water to throwing the towel in too early. Wilder also suggested Fury had tampering with his gloves to gain an illegal advantage and claimed his own ring walk costume had made him fatigued before the first bell.
Wilder has now joined forces with one-time opponent and long-time sparring partner Malik Scott, who moves into the position of head trainer for the first time in his career ahead of the Fury trilogy.
Deontay Wilder: Next fight and future opponents
Tyson Fury is the only focus for Deontay Wilder.
Granted an unexpected trilogy against the Gypsy King after a US arbitrator ruled Fury had a legal obligation to fight the Wilder for a third time, Wilder knows he has one last shot to reclaim his WBC crown.
Victory would see the 35-year-old catapulted straight back into the conversation for some of the biggest fights in world boxing - but defeat could spell the end of the road for one of the heavyweight division's biggest names.
