Deontay Wilder has named the one legendary heavyweight that he would have liked to share a ring with.
The former long-reigning WBC heavyweight champion made his comeback to the sport back in June having suffered back-to-back losses to Joseph Parker and Zhilei ‘Big Bang’ Zhang’
Wilder stopped countryman Tyrrell Anthony Herndon in the 7th round of their non-title clash at the Charles Koch Arena in Wichita on June 27, his first ring appearance in just over one year.
It has been speculated in recent weeks that ‘The Bronze Bomber’ is next in line to face unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk, with reports suggesting that the duo will lock horns at some stage in 2026.
Speaking to Vegas Insider recently, Wilder revealed that he would have been interested in facing the late-great Joe ‘The Brown Bomber’ Louis in an intriguing fantasy showdown.
“I always say this one particular guy. Because of how I got into boxing and my nickname is named after him. Something to carry along within that name. And what I’m talking about is Joe Louis.
“You know, Joe Louis was from Alabama. He was the Brown Bomber. I came along, I’m from Alabama, I won a bronze medal in the Olympics, and I became the Bronze Bomber. Let’s put the Brown Bomber with the Bronze Bomber. You know what I’m saying? Just got that ring to it.
“And I always liked that. There’s so many fighters that I can name though, because there’re so many great fighters that have come before us and that are being created. I’ve always said him and I had to keep it for those reasons.”
Louis still holds the record for being the longest reigning world champion in boxing history, making no less than 25 successful defences of his heavyweight champion over a 12-year period between 1937 and 1949.
‘The Brown Bomber’ suffered just several defeats during his storied professional career, producing a number of legacy-defining victories over the likes of Tommy Farr, Jersey Joe Walcott and Max Schmeling before he retired from the sport following his defeat to another legendary heavyweight in Rocky Marciano.
