Former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder returns to the ring on Friday, June 27th at the Charles Koch Arena in Wichita. After a sharp downturn in his career in the past few years, his intentions with the comeback against Tyrrell Anthony Herndon are selfish. And he made that clear in his one-line warning on social media. 

The Tuscaloosa, Alabama native hasn’t seen any action in the last year, and his appearances in the years before ended in disappointment. Two back-to-back losses to Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang had convinced many that Wilder’s days in the ring were over, but he wants to prove that even at 39, he is the same guy who knocked out his opponents with unmatched brutality. How is he doing that?

Well, he recently shared a clip of himself on Instagram, showcasing his shredded physique alongside a chilling warning. “The work has been put in… All 491 rounds,” Wilder wrote in the caption. Wilder last won a fight nearly three years ago after losing twice to former British heavyweight champion Tyson Fury. He did win a fight against Robert Helenius in 2022, but Helenius wasn’t in the top 15 heavyweights. 

Neither is Herndon, which is why Wilder is the clear favorite in the upcoming fight, a do-or-die fight for his career. Even though Wilder has been linked to potential fights against former unified champion Anthony Joshua and a crossover bout against Francis Ngannou, his next steps remain a mystery for now. However, he has dropped hints about what he wants his future to look like. 

Deontay Wilder wants whoever is at the top

The 39-year-old remains focused on attaining his former glory, even though the past few years have discouraged such goals. Yet, as he returns on June 27th, he refuses to call it a comeback, asserting, “It’s never a comeback. It’s always just returning from the ring.” Furthermore, ‘The Bronze Bomber’ isn’t after the biggest names in the division once this fight is over. 

Instead, his goal is to build a legacy. Ahead of his return, Wilder made things clear—he wants whoever is at the top. “I want whoever is at the top,” Wilder told BoxingScene. “I want whoever is going to make great fights, period, I don’t have a list of names… If a fight gets me to my end goal of where I want to go, then hell, let’s go.”

But who does Wilder think is at the top? When asked about Oleksandr Usyk, Wilder said, “That’s who got the belts… whether you want to agree or not.”

That said, Deontay Wilder seems to be all business ahead of his comeback, but whether his endeavor proves successful is yet to be seen. Do you think Wilder can get back his glory?