Deontay Wilder Returns with KO Victory over Herndon
The former heavyweight champion, Deontay Wilder, achieved a technical knockout victory in the seventh round against boxer Tyrrell Herndon, in his return to the ring on Friday night at the Charles Koch Arena in Wichita, Kansas. The fight was stopped at 2 minutes and 16 seconds of the seventh round. Wilder, 39 years old, returned to the path of victory after suffering three defeats in his last four fights. This was his first fight since June 2024, when he lost by knockout against Zhilei Zhang.Wilder, known for his devastating power and a knockout percentage of 97.7%, had to show patience against Herndon’s defense, who seemed more interested in surviving than winning the fight. Wilder, standing at 6 feet 7 inches, probed his opponent with a long jab and sought to connect his signature right hand. However, Herndon was prepared to evade the powerful blows and constantly moved. Wilder managed to knock Herndon down with a left hook in the second round. The blow unbalanced Herndon, who got up quickly without showing any effects from the knockdown. Despite this, Herndon lacked an attack plan, which allowed Wilder to become increasingly aggressive. At the end of the fifth round, Wilder was advancing, throwing punches with bad intentions. The fight was not showy, as Wilder was throwing punches without worrying about the response. He decided to increase the pressure in the sixth round and sought the knockout against a visibly exhausted Herndon. With Herndon struggling to escape his taller opponent, Wilder pursued him during the sixth and seventh rounds, increasing his punch output and seeking to connect a right hand. A series of blows knocked the tired Herndon down in the sixth round. Wilder sealed his comeback a round later, connecting with his opponent with a right hand that violently separated Herndon’s gloves. Herndon was not responding well to the blows and was not counterattacking, which led the referee to stop the fight.I was away for a long time, recovering mentally, physically, and emotionally. It’s been a long road for me. It’s great to be back in the ring. I didn’t give the fans exactly what they wanted to see, but I’m going to get better and better.
Deontay Wilder
