Deontay Wilder is on the brink of retirement following two losses on the heavyweight scene.
The former WBC Champion fell short against Joseph Parker earlier this year, looking uncharacteristically gun-shy in a shutout points performance for the New Zealander.
Wilder’s chance at turning the tide came against Chinese southpaw Zhilei Zhang, who was also coming off a loss to Parker. ‘Big Bang’ nailed ‘The Bronze Bomber’ in the fifth round and stopped him.
The result made Wilder’s words before the fight, specifically that defeat would make him consider hanging up the gloves, very real. Although he hasn’t announced an official decision, plenty in the sport are urging him to follow through with it.
Speaking to FightHype, former heavyweight champion Shannon Briggs told the fighter from Tuscaloosa, Alabama to have low-level fights to bow out in his own way.
“He needs to get some good training. He’s always fighting at a top level. I always said after his losses to Fury, I’m curious to why he didn’t go to Alabama and do shows, pack them out and fight b-level, c-level competition to get his confidence back. I never understood why. It seems like he made a lot of money.
If he listening, this is a shout out to you bro. Bring it down a notch. Tuscaloosa, pack it out. Go to your town man, do a 2000, 3000 arena. Fight every month. Have your people come support you. And then when you ready, if you’re ever ready, come back, but end it how you wanna end it, man. Joe Louis did it. They all did it. Fury has had competition in the past that wasn’t his level. Get back on your horse.”
Briggs had an impressive knockout-to-win ratio of 88% and beat the likes of Ray Mercer and George Foreman. Like Wilder, who many say hasn’t been the same since beatings from Tyson Fury, he would fall short to the best of his era like Lennox Lewis and Vitali Klitschko.
Wilder has been main-event attraction for some years now, so may struggle with the idea of smaller affairs. Should he consider Shannon ‘The Cannon’s proposal, he could look towards the likes of Jermaine Franklin, Efe Ajagba or even Francis Ngannou, although that would require a bigger stage.
