The Bronze Bomber is truly back.

Despite looking a bit rusty, Deontay Wilder made a successful comeback against Tyrrell Herndon, dropping him in the 7th round, and looking a bit different. Gone was the bold, fiery, and relentless young fighter. Instead, the audience at Charles Koch Arena witnessed a composed, patient American boxer who wants to stay inside the squared circle for a few more years.

After the disastrous last 3 years, it was a statement victory, leaving his future wide open. Even before the June 27th clash, Wilder had expressed his desire to have 3 matches in the year. Meanwhile, rumors of a potential showdown with Anthony Joshua began to surface, with Eddie Hearn adding fuel by confirming interest in the matchup. However, amidst the chaos, Deontay Wilder stayed silent, focusing on the task at hand. Finally, with past frustrations behind him, the American boxer now eyes the future, advancing talks for a fight with Joshua.

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On Sunday, boxing analyst Dan Rafael took to his ‘X’ to reveal an exclusive conversation he had with Wilder’s camp. “Spoke to Deontay Wilder manager Shelly Finkel. With Wilder winning return Fri night, they now have offer to fight this fall in South Korea,” he wrote. South Korea, for a heavyweight fight, is indeed an unlikely venue. However, as Wilder previously stated, for him, 2025 is a stepping stone; it seems plausible.

Rafael continued, “If the money is real the plan is to take that fight.” It would be Deontay Wilder’s second warm-up fight of the year, readying him for the blockbuster 2026 he is eyeing. “Then look for a big fight, preferably Joshua, for the next one in 2026. #boxing,” Rafael concluded.

Well, given everything we saw, it is the right choice. Both Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua are coming out of a bad phase. And despite the Bronze Bomber securing the victory, he was far from his best. Something that even he acknowledged in the post-match interview, where he kept the buzz for a potential AJ clash alive.

Deontay Wilder eyeing an explosive 2026

Following the fight, The Ring caught the former WBC heavyweight champion inside the ring for an interview. “It felt really good and it was a blessing to get back in there and get the rust off,” Wilder said with a bright smile. The last American heavyweight champion stated that he achieved everything that he wanted to in against Herndon. Still, he felt his performance could have been better.

The 39-year-old updated on his shoulder injury, revealing complete healing for the first time in four years. However, despite its healing, he wants to take things slow. “We’re going with the plan that we have. I definitely need a couple of more tune-ups. There is a lot more work to be done, so I can really feel satisfied and feel that I have truly returned,” he stated.

Wilder confirmed that 2025 will be tune-up fights and nothing else. However, for 2026, he is targeting a blockbuster clash against Anthony Joshua. “It could be against Joshua. If the fight was set up, we’ll be ready to go down those roads. A lot of money is on the line, but sometimes it’s not about the money because we have to make sure things are right. We’re in the hurt business,” he declared.

The 39-year-old explained that he and Joshua are both working through recent performance dips, and recovery will take time. “When we’re ready, everyone will know,” he said. So, right now, it is just a waiting game. For Wilder, for Joshua, and for the fans and everyone needs to be patient.