Boxing
Deontay Wilder raises concerns on Unfiltered UK Media Tour
Genuine concerns have begun to grow around Deontay Wilder following a series of raw and unfiltered interviews during his current visit to the UK ahead of a potential fight with Derek Chisora.
What should have been a routine promotional tour turned into another chapter in a saga that has followed the former WBC heavyweight champion since Tyson Fury dealt him the first defeat of his career.
World Boxing News has documented the evolution of Wilder’s comments and behavior in several interviews since the devastating defeat, and the latest appearances have once again put the spotlight on the Alabama boxer himself.
Simon Jordan strike
The most evident flashpoint occurred during Wilder’s appearance on talkSPORT with Simon Jordan.
When Fury’s name was mentioned in the interview, Wilder immediately shut down the discussion.
“I won’t talk about him. We won’t talk about him at all,” Wilder said.
As the conversation escalated, Wilder doubled down on his statement.
“You can say whatever you want. I know the truth. I know the facts.”
Moments later, the former champion stood up and left the studio, abruptly ending the interview. The confrontation quickly spread online and contributed to the backlash against Wilder’s UK tour following Simon Jordan’s departure on talkSPORT.
Interview with Piers Morgan
Just a few weeks later, Wilder went viral again during an appearance on Piers Morgan Uncensored.
During the interview, he shared a drastic personal story related to his ex-partner and the conception of his first child.
“I tried to wipe it off but she hit my hand so strenuous and ran into the bathroom,” Wilder said, before claiming she later became impregnated with his sperm.
The moment clearly stunned Morgan and quickly spread across social media.
Personal trauma
Wilder, who now goes by the moniker “King God’s Army,” also revealed very personal details about his upbringing, including the murder of his brother.
The reveal added another emotional layer to a series of interviews that often felt less like standard fight promotion and more like raw reflections on the experiences that shaped his life before boxing made him renowned.
Pattern from Furia
For supporters of Wilder’s career, none of this came alone.
Wilder, once feared as the toughest puncher in heavyweight boxing, now finds that his interviews attract as much attention as his fights.
World Boxing News has chronicled the Alabama boxer’s many unusual comments since Fury stopped him in his second fight of 2020, a defeat that ended Wilder’s long reign as the WBC heavyweight champion.
In recent years, Wilder has spoken openly about how the experiences have influenced his outlook on life, which he touched on, revealing claims of hallucinogenic visions and accusations that he was lied to.
He later alluded to his time away from the sport, discussing a psychoactive brew he believed could impact his future, prompting widespread reaction among boxing supporters.
Wilder also sparked debate with surreal reflections on the existence of a child before birth, including comments about conception that became widely circulated after the bizarre “womb” explanation was revealed.
The repeated interviews eventually prompted fans to openly question his behavior and urge him to withdraw from social media altogether, with some calling for someone to take control of his phone.
Others began to wonder whether mentally the former champion was still the same person after his defeats against Furia, and this topic is gaining popularity to this day.
The fight with Chisora is coming up
This all comes as Wilder tries to revive his career in a proposed fight against British veteran Derek Chisora.
The fight was being discussed as part of Wilder’s return from losses to Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang, which forced the former champion to look for a way back to the heavyweight scene.
A still victory over Tyrrell Herndon last summer gave Wilder a chance to move up, but even then he failed to capitalize on the opportunity and was once again sidelined for almost a year.
Now on Saturday evening he will face Chisora, who remains one of the most strong and expressive British heavyweights. “WAR” is a veteran known for his willingness to exchange blows and take on prestigious fights regardless of the risk.
However, judging by the reaction to Wilder’s recent activity, attention has turned away from the fight itself.
Instead, attention has returned to the unpredictable comments and revelations that have surrounded Wilder since Fury suffered the most devastating defeat of his career.
About the author
Phil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a boxing veteran with over 15 years of experience. Read the full biography.
Nelson didn’t hesitate when asked about his comments. He said Hamed was “delusional” and said the criticism only confirmed how far their relationship had fallen apart.
“I thought this kid was delusional,” Nelson told Sport Boxing. “After Giant I thought this kid hadn’t changed, and when I saw the show I thought you’ve definitely gotten worse.”
Nelson said he recently ignored two messages from Hamed on WhatsApp and is not interested in renewing the friendship.
“I turned him off. I don’t associate with him,” Nelson said. “If you look like an idiot, you feed him.”
The former cruiserweight champion made it clear that while he still respects Hamed’s achievements in the ring, he no longer respects him as a person.
“Do I admire what he’s accomplished? A lot,” Nelson said. “But as a person, I lost complete and utter respect for him.”
Much of Nelson’s anger appears to have to do with Hamed’s criticism of overdue coach Brendan Ingle, to whom both players attribute their careers. Nelson said he couldn’t accept the way Hamed spoke about a man he believed gave everything to the gym.
The public feud has escalated into one of the ugliest old-fashioned feuds in British boxing, with two former world champions now trading personal shots instead of memories.
It’s challenging to watch because these two are icons of the golden age of English in Sheffield. When you see former stablemates exchanging shots this overdue in life, you usually get the impression that there’s a lot of unhealed history behind them.
Naz’s “snake” comment clearly hit a nerve, but Nelson’s reaction suggests his real problem is his perceived lack of respect for Brendan Ingle. For Nelson, Brendan was the man who kept him afloat when he was struggling. The sight of Naz attacking that legacy seems to be a deal-breaker.
Nelson willingly gives Naz flowers for what he did in the ring, but closes the door on him himself. It’s a shame to see them at odds, especially since they were once the face of the same team, but Nelson seems to have found a lot of peace by simply pressing “block” and moving on.
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