Deontay Wilder unveils a stunning life-size statue of himself in his hometown of Tuscaloosa, Alabama
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Deontay Wilder seen with his life-size statue by artists Caleb O'Connor
Deontay Wilder has achieved more than most people could ever do in life. The boxer who got into the sport at the age of 20 to support his daughter suffering from a serious ailment has come a long way from his days as a desperate father to become a world heavyweight champion boxer.
Along the journey, Wilder has accolades such as winning Gold in the US National Championships, a bronze in the Beijing Olympic Games of 2008, and of course his WBC Heavyweight Championship and his 9 defenses of the title. With over 41 knockouts in his professional career along with his epic trilogy against Tyson Fury, the Bronze Bomber has indeed given the boxing world a name to remember till the end of time.
Deontay Wilder expressed gratitude to his town over the honor bestowed upon him
In lieu of this long list of achievements, Deontay Wilder has been honored by his hometown of Tuscaloosa, Alabama with a life-size statue of the former heavyweight Champion. The statue was sculpted by an artist named Caleb O’Connor and unlike the first reveals of many athlete busts, the statue is an honest replica of the Alabama native.
The event that was streamed in its entirety by a local news station saw Wilder along with his family and friends, making one of his first public appearances since his trilogy bout against Fury. Even though he lost the bout, he was commended for taking the fight to Fury even knocking down the current Champion twice.
Describing the feeling of being honored by his community Wilder said, “For the first time in my life I am speechless, this is generational wealth, this is black excellence, this is greatness.” Wilder has also struck up a close personal friendship with the sculptor, Caleb O’Connor expressing his gratitude to Caleb saying, “It means so much to me, cause I got a close connection to him and for him to do the piece for me it makes me even closer to it” describing his work as “state of the art” and even mentioning his friend to be one of the best sculptors in the world.
Deontay has also expressed his willingness to lace up his gloves once more, a feeling he was resistant to since the second loss to Fury late last year.
Also Read: “Inside three rounds”- Tyson Fury declares Deontay Wilder would KO Anthony Joshua with relative ease
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Jerin Mathew
(713 Articles Published)