Deontay Wilder is at a crossroads in his career, having formerly been renowned for his powerful right hand and reputation as a knockout artist. The heavyweight from Tuscaloosa, Alabama became famous for his devastating power punches, which cemented his place in boxing lore. But there have been major roadblocks on his path in the past few years.

The fights between Wilder and Tyson Fury ended his reign as dominant boxer. The first fight between the two fighters finished in a contentious tie; nonetheless, Fury managed to secure a split decision by getting up off the canvas twice. Fury cruised to victories over Wilder in their subsequent bouts, and the final round ended with a stunning knockout.

It’s hard to say how Wilder has been performing as of late. Though his first-round knockout victory over Robert Helenius demonstrated his persistent power, his subsequent points and knockout defeats to Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang, respectively, have cast doubt on his future. Because of the cautious attitude he took throughout those losses, some have suggested that the 38-year-old could be better off retiring.

These obstacles aside, Wilder’s career is still open to possibilities. The WBA’s current top-ranked heavyweight, Martin Bakole, is in good form and believes he can defeat Wilder. “Deontay Wilder— I’ll smash him,” Bakole said in an interview with BOXXER. I will knock him out, despite his diminutive frame. Bakole has made his ambitions known following his recent victory over heavyweight prospect Jared Anderson.

 

Fans are anxiously awaiting Bakole’s next battle, which might be a fight with Zhilei Zhang, and he has the support of Turki Alalshikh from Riyadh Season. If Wilder decides to keep fighting, Alalshikh has dropped hints that he could face either Joe Joyce or Derek Chisora.

What happens next will have a profound impact on Deontay Wilder’s legacy. His next moves will have a major effect on his heavyweight division status, regardless of whether he chooses a high-profile bout with Bakole, a rematch with Zhang, or any of the other interesting fights.

With all the talk about his future among fans and experts, Wilder now gets his chance to show everyone whether he can get back to where he was or if he’s entering a new era of his career.