Deontay Wilder has been accused of beating a minor for years in a civil lawsuit filed by the son of his former fiancée, with the former heavyweight champion strongly denying the allegations.
Court documents obtained by TMZ Sports state that Kerron Swift, the son of Wilder’s former partner Telli Swift, has filed legal action accusing the boxer of repeated physical abuse while he lived under Wilder’s roof as a minor.
The lawsuit claims the alleged incidents occurred between 2016 and 2024 while Swift was growing up in Wilder’s household.
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Attorney denies claims
Wilder’s attorney, Paul Patterson, rejected the accusations when responding to TMZ Sports and said the former WBC ruler intends to defend himself against the lawsuit.
“This is obviously an attempt to smear the good name of Deontay Wilder in pursuit of personal gain,” Patterson said.
“Deontay Wilder is known as a loving and caring father who has never physically disciplined any child of his own or anyone else.”
Patterson also questioned the timing of the legal action.
“The timing of this lawsuit is suspicious since Mr. Wilder fights in less than 48 hours.”
Lawsuit claims
Swift alleges Wilder struck him on multiple occasions during that period.
One claim states that Swift, who says he was thirteen at the time, was slapped inside a vehicle with such force that his head struck the interior of the car.
Another allegation centers on a 2019 incident in which Swift claims Wilder whipped him with a belt, leaving bruises across his body.
The most serious allegation described in the lawsuit relates to a 2022 encounter when Swift claims Wilder grabbed him by the throat, lifted him off his feet, and threw him onto furniture during an altercation.
Swift says he believed he could die during the confrontation.
The civil complaint seeks damages and includes claims of assault, battery, emotional distress, and false imprisonment. Swift has requested that the case be heard before a jury.
Previous allegations
The lawsuit is the latest development in a turbulent period away from the ring for the hard-hitting slugger and arrives after Wilder’s personal life had already come under scrutiny in recent years.
In 2024, Telli Swift filed a temporary restraining order against the heavyweight boxer amid accusations of abusive behavior during their relationship.
Swift alleged Wilder had choked her on multiple occasions and displayed increasingly aggressive behavior in the months following several defeats in the ring.
Those allegations were outlined in earlier World Boxing News reporting examining the claims made in Swift’s restraining order filing.
Swift also previously described Wilder as emotionally unstable during the period following his first defeat to Tyson Fury in February 2020.
That loss ended Wilder’s long unbeaten run and triggered a public dispute in which the former champion made a series of accusations about Fury allegedly cheating in the fight.
Those claims were never proven.
Further details surrounding Swift’s account of Wilder’s behavior during that period were explored in another WBN story examining the boxer’s struggles after the first Fury defeat, which World Boxing News attended live at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
Wilder’s personal struggles
Wilder’s personal life offers a window into what may have been unfolding behind the scenes as he wrestled with processing his losses, particularly the first that ended his long-standing unbeaten record.
As Wilder publicly imploded in the boxing media with a series of unproven accusations following the loss, turmoil also appeared to be developing at home.
According to claims made by Swift in court filings, the frustration from those setbacks spilled over into his family dynamic.
While the allegations remain unproven, the timing of Wilder’s career downturn has inevitably drawn scrutiny.
Despite the turbulence away from the ring, the “Bronze Bomber” continues to receive offers for high-profile bouts.
However, Wilder’s declining results in recent years have coincided with what appears to have been a deeply difficult period in his private life.
Wilder is currently in London preparing for a heavyweight clash with Derek Chisora this weekend after already raising eyebrows for more unfiltered comments during fight week.
