Deontay Wilder will be honored with a life-size statue in his hometown of Tuscaloosa, Alabama. It is also expected that he will return to boxing shortly.
Wilder will be honored in his hometown on May 25 to commemorate his career as a WBC heavyweight world champion.
“I wasn’t even expecting this,” Wilder said to local news.
“That’s why you say God works in mysterious ways.
“I know I’m gonna set a lot of records and I’m gonna break a lot of records along my journey.”
“But this right here, this is something God is giving – not only to me, but to my state and my city. I can just see people coming to the state of Alabama, touring the city of Tuscaloosa, looking at the statue.”
“This will be something for my children, their children, their children’s children. I’m very happy with this project, I’m very excited about it.”
“We are excited to unveil this highly anticipated piece of public art featuring the Bronze Bomber – Tuscaloosa’s world-champion boxer,” stated Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox.
“And created by Caleb O’Connor, who has adopted Tuscaloosa as his home and has created many other beautiful pieces in our city.”
“One of the most important things I saw in regards to the sculpture is the idea that Deontay needs to be recognised for what he has done,” sculptor Caleb O’Connor remarked.
“We haven’t had an American champion in over ten years. Boxing has lost its popularity in the United States because we haven’t been winning, and finally we have the absolute real deal right here in Tuscaloosa.”
Since being knocked out by Tyson Fury in their trilogy bout in October, Wilder has not competed and presently has no fights booked.
“I spoke to him a couple of months ago, he is doing great and he is looking forward to resuming his boxing career,” WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman told Sky.