By Norm Frauenheim-
There’s life after the statue for Deontay Wilder, whose comeback plans are beginning to fall into place within just a couple of months after he was honored – cast in bronze – in hometown Tuscaloosa.
Wilder, The Bomber with Bronze in his nickname, liked what he saw in late May when his statue was unveiled in front of a sports and tourism building.
Tyson Fury might not recognize it. Fury knocked Wilder off his pedestal repeatedly, leaving the former heavyweight champion in an exhausted heap in the 11th round of a wild rematch last October.
Wilder looked finished then. But that statue unveiled on a spring day in Alabama is upright, a symbol for how Wilder wants to be remembered.
A durable sign, too, for a comeback that is sure to follow.
Wilder said so then, amid festivities that included him hugging the life-size statue, which weighed in at a reported 830 pounds. On any scale, it was a lot heavier than the costume Wilder said wore him out in his ring walk to a stoppage loss to Fury in their first rematch in February 2020
“So many people telling me: ‘Come back, come back,’ ‘’ Wilder told reporters as he stood alongside his bronzed likeness. “So, I’ll say I’m back by popular demand. The business of boxing needs me.’’
Just how that comeback will proceed isn’t clear yet. But some possibilities began to emerge this week. Wilder manager Shelly Finkel started with the obvious — the August 20 rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua in Saudi Arabia.
“Maybe the winner of Usyk and Joshua,” Finkel told Planet Sport, a Sky Sports partner. “I don’t know what Fury is doing.’’
Fury is doing what he always does. He’s throwing rhetorical feints, saying one day he’ll fight if somebody offers him half-a-billion and then seemingly backtracking. He’s retired, he also says, because Wilder left him with bruises and concussions. It’s impossible to know exactly what his plans are. Chaos is his business plan. Put it this way: As long as he’s talking, he’s interested.
Meanwhile, there are questions about how fast Wilder, who will be 37 on October 22, should move in a quest to regain a title. His lethal right hand is still there, a drawing card and a powerful reason to still call him a contender.
“There’s only four real top guys in the heavyweights right now – Usyk, Joshua, Fury and Deontay [Wilder],’’ Finkel said
But the beating Wilder endured in October might have taken a psychological toll. A cautious beginning to the planned comeback might be the wise option. Derek Chisora wants a shot — and a payday — at Wilder. But Finkel said no to that one.
“Derek Chisora?’’ Finkel said. “He just edged (out) a split-decision over Kubrat Pulev. No way.”
Fury co-promoter Frank Warren thinks Wilder already has somebody else in mind.
Robert Helenius, Warren says.
“Deontay is fighting in October,’’ Warren told TalkSport. “He’s coming back and they’re talking about him fighting (Helenius). That’ll be in (the United) States.’’
But there has yet to be any confirmation from Wilder, Finkel or Helenius’ management in Finland.
Whoever it is, expect somebody with Helenius’ journeyman-like credentials. A test-run before a real test.
Wilder, Warren said, “is coming off a bad knockout.’’
He is. But there’s a statue in Alabama that says he isn’t going away.
