Stunning ringside footage shows what could be the final moments of Deontay Wilder’s epic boxing career.
The former WBC heavyweight champion was brutally knocked out by Zhilei Zhang in the main event of the Queensberry vs Matchroom 5 vs 5 tournament in Saudi Arabia on Saturday night. In round five, Zhang caught his opponent with a counter-right hook that left him confused, concussed, and looking for help from the referee.
The Chinese heavyweight, who weighed five stone more than Wilder on fight night, chased after the American and ruthlessly floored him with a follow-up punch. Wilder’s head worryingly bounced off the canvas before he lay there motionless in the intense ringside footage released by DAZN after the fight.
‘The Bronze Bomber’ looked totally out of it as he rolled into the camera and got back to his feet when the referee reached the count of nine. Wilder was asked to prove he was fit to fight by walking forward, but he staggered at the in-ring official, who quickly waved off the heavyweight bout.
Boxing fans took to social media to rave about the ringside footage and question why Wilder appeared to turn his back during the finishing sequence.
One person tweeted: “He got Rocked!!!!”
Another said: “He was caught totally off guard.”
A third person asked: “What was he spinning around like that for?”
Someone else wrote: “What was he trying to tell the ref?”
A fight with Anthony Joshua is now unlikely, with the American losing four of his last five fights.
After starting his career with a 42-0-1 record, which included 41 incredible KOs, Wilder’s career has fallen away. He is yet to comment on his fighting future, but it seems highly likely that the 38-year-old will decide to call time on his career after his second consecutive loss.
Credit: TalkSport
