Deontay Wilder receives final fight offer from Turki Alalshikh to revive boxing career

08/16/2024 08:44 AM

Deontay Wilder’s career is down but not out just yet.

The American puncher finds himself in a precarious position after losing back-to-back bouts to Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang.

Before his clash with Parker last December, Wilder was promised a fight against Anthony Joshua provided he got his hand raised.

But the ‘Bronze Bomber’ appeared hesitant to let his hands go as he fell to a wide unanimous decision defeat.

Six months later, Wilder was matched up against Zhang.

Throughout the build-up, the 38-year-old insisted his killer instincts were back but come fight night, he looked just as timid and gun shy as he did against Parker.

In the fifth stanza, Wilder half-heartedly attempted to roll the dice after spending the entirety of the contest with his back against the ropes and was knocked out by a vicious right hand for his efforts.

Ahead of the contest, Wilder had suggested that defeat could mark the end of his career but there has still been no confirmation on his next steps at the time of writing.

And now, Saudi boxing chief HE Turki Alalshikh, who staged Wilder’s most recent outings, has declared that he is open to giving the former WBC heavyweight champion one last opportunity to revive his career.

"They asked me [about Wilder-Chisora] and I said clearly if he is getting himself back, why not?” HE Alalshikh told Charlie Parson on an X Space.

“But, believe me, I tried two times and it's not happened…"

HE Alalshikh doubled down on his stance when replying to a fan on X.

The supporter wrote: “Can you make Deontay vs Chisora or Joyce?”

To which, HE Alalshikh replied: “If Wilder still have it, why not?”

Chisora upset the apple cart last month by defeating Joe Joyce via unanimous decision at London’s O2 Arena in his 48th professional outing (35-13).

Several members of the boxing fraternity felt it was the perfect way for ‘Del Boy’ to close out his career.

But Chisora insisted in the immediate aftermath that he wanted to have two more fights.

“It’s not my last fight, I’ve still got two more,” said Chisora. “Now I go to Manchester at the end of the year.”

He told talkSPORT.com last month that his 50th and final outing would likely take place in Saudi Arabia, opening the door for a potential clash with Wilder next year.