Former heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder was honored in his native Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where a life-size statue of him was unveiled.
The Bronze Bomber, former World Boxing Council heavyweight champion, attended the ceremony in which his statue was unveiled for the first time, with which he will be immortalized in the place where he was born.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cd_9I_3Dj-w/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=0c0fae51-10c9-4214-ac0f-6bc55fc61a94
Accompanied by his family and some boxing fans, the former champion went to the site where the statue was placed, in front of the Tuscaloosa Tourism and Sports offices.
An emotional ceremony in his hometown
It was the sportsman himself who was in charge of removing the sheet that covered the statue and when he saw himself reflected in it, he got emotional and shouted “it’s me”. He did not waste the moment and hugged his figure on a couple of occasions.
He checked it in detail, caressed it, kissed it. It seemed that he didn’t want to say goodbye to her, or that he wanted to take her home. The artwork is identical, with a serious face, as if she was going to fight, and even with her hair braided.
Designed by Caleb O’Connor, the pugilist said he was surprised and grateful for the work done, “for the first time in my life I am speechless, this is generational wealth, this is black excellence, this is greatness”.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cd1jEstum9P/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=03ff5d3e-c41f-45ca-802e-4837b250427c
He won the heavyweight title in 2015 and made 10 defenses
Wilder began his sporting career in 2008 and was undefeated until 2020. He was considered the most lethal boxer, as out of his first 40 fights, all wins, he knocked out in 39.
He became the WBC champion in 2015 and made 10 defenses, until in 2021 he lost the title to Tyson Fury, who a year later granted him a rematch, but the Briton won again, last October, the only two defeats in Wilder’s career, immortalized in his native Tuscaloosa.
